Crispin Porter’s S*** Doesn’t Stink
February 5, 2008
Everyone loves to hate on CP+B. We get it, but you know… um… they consistently turn out high level work, snag clients and foster some fab talent. The Orville thing was way bad, but what other work can you really, really hate them for? What was so bad it made you cringe and think – “Hell. They’ve finally jumped the shark!” We’re sure you’ll let us know in the comments section.
Meanwhile, Creativity Online has done a thorough walk through of the CP+B Boulder operation. You get to see their space, meet some employees (rather good looking, no?) and listen to them expound on how much business they have, how much they’re growing, patonethback, patontheback, patontheback. It’s one big ad for CP+B. Creativity should have charged them for this one. You know their press person is most certainly throwing high-fives left and right, under their arm. Bet.
And this is why many folks hate CP+B . They get away with shit like this and you still kinda respect them. If you’re a hater now, don’t watch it. They are a very well turned out agency: tech, creative, many a full service department and it all looks cool, too? It’s gonna make you think their shit don’t stink. Hell… maybe it doesn’t.
Watch it here.
February 5, 2008 at 2:53 pm
“The Orville thing was way bad, but what other work can you really, really hate them for? ”
Miller Lite
Ask.com
Haggar
Sprite
The VW “suicide” commercial
The Nike “motivation” commercial
The new Domino’s TV commercials
That Coke Zero “rooftop” commercial (granted, that one’s an oldie)
Shall I go on?
And I say this as someone who, like much of the industry, stands in awe and admiration of what Crispin has accomplished in the past few years.
The problem isn’t the “haters,” as you call them. It’s the ass-kissers who loudly sing their praises without acknowledging their stumbles.
By the way, while Crispin has indeed snagged some pretty impressive clients (including Burger King without so much as a review), they’ve also lost a lot in the past few years: Ikea, Virgin, Earthlink, Gateway, Miller, etc. In most cases, the Crispin spin machine will have everyone convinced that they “fired” the client, rather than vice versa. But surely they didn’t go to all the time, trouble and expense to land those accounts just to walk away from them.
What’s lacking on both sides of the Crispin debate is perspective and objectivity. The hard-core haters dismiss them as a one-trick pony; the adoring ass-kissers “think their shit don’t stink.”
The bottom line is, they are brilliant — but they are not infallible.
February 5, 2008 at 6:43 pm
The Haggar TV ads were basically celebrating sado-masochistic paedophilia in a product made for nascar dads. I’d definately call that a mis-step. The haggar print was great, though.
February 5, 2008 at 6:50 pm
Man, did you see all the mountain bikes everywhere??? And there’s like a snowboard rack…right in the agency!!! And the guy on the guitar was like totally rad. And he even used profanity!!! I bet everyone there snowboards. They are so freaking awesome….
(GAG…..)
Can someone please turn down the cool. We get it.
February 5, 2008 at 6:54 pm
AS forgot to mention that Goodby also had a video of their production department. Both videos were a continuation of articles in the most recent Creativity.
February 5, 2008 at 11:35 pm
love