Editorial: Public-service expertise will benefit the frugal age

But creatives, particularly those nearer the start of their careers than
the end of them, can deceive themselves into believing that a COI brief
is a licence to shock or get away with saying and showing things that
would see most advertisers carpeted by the Advertising Standards
Authority. Sometimes that's true. But public-service advertising often
requires a different mindset. It's nowhere near as easy as it looks,
which is why the new "how to do it" guide published by COI and the IPA
will be a welcome addition to any agency library.

COI briefs call for sophisticated thinking combined with outstanding
creativity. This is mainly because of public ambivalence about
government-inspired messages. People hate being lectured, but they'll be
quick enough to protest about insufficient warnings if and when disaster
strikes. As the catalyst for such communication, COI is damned if it
does and damned if it doesn't.

So striking the right balance is vital. Shock tactics sometimes work in
public-service advertising, but they have to be used sparingly.
Sometimes campaigns, particularly those addressing drug abuse or
promoting sexual health, have to recognise that the target audience may
sometimes behave illegally or immorally without condoning such
behaviour.

At a time when WPP's Sir Martin Sorrell says conspicuous consumption is
to be discouraged, agencies may have to get used to doing more work that
encourages consumers to consume less or differently. How long before the
skills honed in public-service advertising become just as relevant in
the commercial arena?