Advertising Cultures: Gender, Commerce, Creativity (Culture, Representation and Identity series)

193 Pages·2003·0.97 MB·English

by  Sean Nixon

Advertising
Cultures
Gender, Commerce, Creativity
Sean Nixon
eBook covers_pj orange.indd 35 29/1/08 8:35:13 pm
advertising cultures
Culture, Representation and Identities is dedicated to a particular
understanding of ‘cultural studies’ as an inherently interdisciplinary project
critically concerned with the analysis of meaning. The series focuses
attentionontheimportanceofthecontemporary‘culturalturn’inforginga
radical re-think of the centrality of ‘the cultural’ and the articulation
betweenthematerialandthesymbolicinsocialanalysis.Oneaspectofthis
shift is the expansion of ‘culture’ to a much wider, more inclusive range of
institutionsandpractices,includingthoseconventionallytermed‘economic’
and ‘political’.
Books in the series:
Representing Black Britain
Black and Asian Images on Television
Sarita Malik
Cultural Economy
Cultural Analysis and Commercial Life
Edited by Paul du Gay and Michael Pryke
advertising cultures
gender, commerce, creativity
sean nixon
SAGE Publications
London•ThousandOaks•NewDelhi
(cid:216)SeanNixon2003
Firstpublished2003
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contents
Acknowledgements vii
Introduction 1
Part 1: Advertising, Cultural Intermediaries and
Cultural Analysis 13
1 Advertising and Commercial Culture 15
Part 2: Commerce and Creativity 37
2 ‘Purveyors of Creativity’: Advertising Agencies, Commercial
Expertise and Creative Jobs 39
3 De´classe´ and Parvenus? The Social and Educational
Make-up of Creative Jobs 57
4 The Cult of Creativity: Advertising Creatives and the
Pursuit of Newness 74
Part 3: Gender, Creativity and Creative Jobs 93
5 A Homosocial World? Masculinity, Creativity and
Creative Jobs 95
6 Between Men: Masculinity and the Dynamics of Creative
Partnerships 116
7 Pleasure at Work: The Gender Ambivalences of
Work-based Sociability 139
Conclusion 160
Endnotes 168
Appendix 173
Bibliography 174
Index 180
v

acknowledgements
Academic researchers often depend upon the good grace of others in pur-
suing their research and I am grateful to the advertising people who
generously puttime asidein theirbusy schedules to see meand whoshared
their experience of working in advertising with me. While I cannot thank
them by name because of the importance of anonymising their testimonies,
theyknowwhotheyareandIhopetheyfeelthatIhavedonejusticetotheir
accounts. Ann Murray Chatterton at the IPA can be thanked by name and
was especially generous with her time. The AHRB provided me with sup-
porttoenablemetocompletethebookandIthankthemforthis.Iamalso
grateful to the University of Essex for continuing to believe in the value of
academic research and for supporting this through its system of research
leave and the Research Promotion Fund.
Versions of chapters of the book were presented at numerous confer-
ences and seminars and I am particularly grateful to audiences at the
Department of Sociology and Cultural Studies, University of Birmingham,
the MA in History of Design group at the Royal College of Art, the
Department of Sociology, London School of Economics, the Centre for
Metropolitan History, University of East London, and The Social History
Society Annual Conference in York.
Advertising Cultures continues a journey I began with my first book,
Hard Looks, and many people have accompanied me along the way and
helpedtoshareandgivedirectiontomythinkingandtothecontoursofthe
book. Friends and colleagues in particular have provided wise counsel and
intellectual support during the writing of this book and I am especially
grateful to Chris Breward, Ben Crewe, Paul du Gay, Stuart Hall, Angela
McRobbie,FrankMort,KeithNegus,MikeRoperandBillSchwarz.David
Rose provided helpful guidance on occupational classifications and self-
completion questionnaires. Frank Mort and Angela McRobbie took on the
task of reading the final manuscript and both deserve a special mention for
their acuity and intellectual generosity and support.
Julia Hall and Jamilah Ahmed at Sage have both been excellent
publishersto work with. Myparents, Caroleand JohnNixonhave been an
important source of continuing support and I remain immensely grateful
vii
s for that. A final special thank you is due to Claire Nixon. Her wisdom,
e
ur humour and love have provided the backdrop for this book. It is dedicated
t
ul to her.
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introduction
In April 2000, in its regular end-piece feature ‘A life in the day of’, the
SundayTimesmagazinedocumentedatypicaldayinthelifeofMarkWnek,
the 41 year-old executive creative director of London-based advertising
agency Euro-RSCG Wnek Gosper, who had recently been awarded the job
ofpromotingKenLivingstone’sbidtobecomeLondonMayor.Writtenina
punchydiarystyle,Wnek’saccountmixedtogetherhisviewsonadvertising,
creativity andagency life with details ofthe lifestyle that he pursued in and
around work. His account went as follows:
Mylatestphilosophyisthatnoneofuslearnenoughorgiveenough.I’vegivenupalot
lately:cigarettes,alcohol,caffeine,dairyproducts,saltandsugar.AndI’mlearningto
play golf. I’m the most competitive person alive, which means that I apply myself
thoroughly to the task, it’s like meditation to me. So what if it’s selfish? It’s a start.
ConsequentlyIjumpoutofbedfeelinggreat....Gettingdressedisbish,bash,bosh.
Clothesareimportanttome,becausetheymakeavisualstatement.I’vegot300shirts
andtiesathomeandanother100attheoffice.Everysinglepairofmyunderpantsis
CalvinKleinandmyshoesareGucci,butthat’spurelybecausethey’recomfortable.
GiorgioArmanimakesclothesforsquatItalianblokesandtheyfitme.Thesearethings
thatafter20not-unsuccessfulyearsinthebusinessyougetusedtoo.
I get my washing stuff together and drive to the Harbour Club in my big fat
second-handMercedes.ThenIrunonamachineforhalfanhour....Iprobablythink
toomuchwhenI’mrunning–butthenI’macopywriter.Myclientspaymetothink.I
haveablastintheshower,thenIdriveintowork.Iliketheprocesstohurt.Alittlepain
and suffering is a good idea. Never mind that I work 300 hours a week – that’s
irrelevant.Ithinkeveryoneshoulddosomethingthathurts.
ThefirstthingIdoisgothroughmylists,allhand-writtenfromthenightbefore.
. . . I speed read all the papers. I’m like a life commando. I’ve learnt to extract
information at breakneck speed. . . . I’ve got a creative department of 30 people. I
assignabrieftoateam,andiftheydon’tcomeupwithanything,theygetfired....
Thereare two typesofcreativeperson:the onewhodrawsupona reservoiroflife
stuff,andtheotherwhoissimplybrilliant.I’malotoftheformerandatouchofthe
latter. I have never, for one second, been afraid. The moment the fear gets you,
you’reout.Advertisingiswhatgivessocietyresonanceandcolour.Withoutit,weare
nothing. That’s why it’s so important to put stuff out which is clever and witty and
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