{"id":351,"date":"2024-05-08T13:30:00","date_gmt":"2024-05-08T13:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/atomic-hair.net\/?p=351"},"modified":"2024-05-09T15:23:42","modified_gmt":"2024-05-09T15:23:42","slug":"were-in-a-golden-age-of-tv-ad-makers-need-to-step-up-too","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/atomic-hair.net\/index.php\/2024\/05\/08\/were-in-a-golden-age-of-tv-ad-makers-need-to-step-up-too\/","title":{"rendered":"We\u2019re in a Golden Age of TV: Ad Makers Need to Step Up Too"},"content":{"rendered":"

The op-ed is by Darren Foldes, Partner and Head of Films at Sibling Rivalry<\/a>, a brand studio and production company based in New York and Los Angeles. Leaning into the company\u2019s \u201ccraft first\u201d mantra, Darren has reshaped\u00a0Sibling Rivalry Film\u2019s\u00a0roster of talent to be grounded in the present, while at the same time distinctly leaning towards the future. At the heart is a talented group of accomplished filmmakers, diverse artists, and above all, kind people.<\/em><\/p>\n

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The rise of streamers like Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, and Apple TV has catalyzed a (New) Golden Age of TV: episodic shows have become more poignant, more engaging, slicker than ever, and more nuanced\u2014honing in on pinpoint cultures and subcultures.<\/p>\n

The best of these programs (think Succession<\/em>, Severance<\/em>, The White Lotus<\/em>, Sh\u014dgun<\/em>, The Handmaid\u2019s Tale<\/em>, Fleabag<\/em>, The Bear<\/em>, Beef<\/em>, and on and on) take cues from the world of cinema and demonstrate a new approach to craft and detail. When we get an ad break, however, people are all too often served generic, cookie-cutter promos that viewers understandably look to mute or skip. Essentially, it is the worst of what we as an industry create.<\/p>\n

Given the abundance of talent working in the industry, it\u2019s surprising that the ads surrounding today\u2019s culture-defining shows fall far short. Undoubtedly, those who direct and conceptualize these spots have the ability, talent, and storytelling skills. With streaming now representing over 38%<\/a> of all TV usage\u2014why the lackluster commercials on streaming platforms?<\/p>\n

I\u2019m not looking to start a debate (well, maybe I am!), but the best we collectively have to offer shouldn\u2019t be celebrated by a select few only on the festival circuit. Our most stellar work should delight, entice, and educate in living rooms and bedrooms all year round.<\/p>\n

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Surely, this is also a debate for the media buyers amongst us, but essentially, audiences are smart, and the quality of what we consume has increased over the past decade (contrary to what David Chase, creator of the greatest show of all time, The Sopranos<\/em>, has recently said<\/a> about the decline of episodic content). So, let\u2019s give them the best of what we as an industry have to offer.<\/p>\n

Netflix\u2019s optional ad-supported plan, launched in 2022, has amassed 15 million users. Prime Video launched ads this year, and we\u2019ve all read the speculation that even Apple TV+ is now poised to do the same. Safe to say, streamers are increasingly moving towards ad-supported services.<\/p>\n

We all know about the Super Bowl effect: the connection between ads and the game transcends inside-industry chat and gets everyone talking about mega-budgets and celebrity brand collabs. But let\u2019s be honest: Are these ads even as great as they once were?<\/p>\n

Having been at \u201cindustry\u201d Super Bowl parties for the past decade or more, I can assure you it\u2019s not my opinion alone that fewer creative risks have been taken in recent years relying on believed-to-be-proven formulas, often using the same voices who have been directing these spectacle spots for the past decade. Why? Because they seem like the \u201csafe choice.\u201d Many of these ads are good, don\u2019t get me wrong, but are they great?<\/p>\n

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There\u2019s something we all know: we should be making more great work.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

These formulas have become tired and expected, and by using the same directors, the spots generated are frequently obvious and, even worse, predictable. Some get it right; the folks at Highdive<\/a> come to mind, and my synapses also fire to CeraVe (from Ogilvy and Tim & Eric)<\/a> and even Tubi out of Mischief.<\/a><\/p>\n

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