Winner says ad industry has its head up its 'own arse'

Michael Winner silenced delegates at this week's Campaign Creative Conference, accusing the industry of having its head so far up its own arse that it has to open its mouth to see out.

Called upon to defend the esure campaign that he directed and starred in, Winner called a delegate "stupid" when he asked whether the ads were an insult to viewers' intelligence. Winner also criticised the industry practice of "spinning shoots out over three days to make more money", before walking out of the room.

Earlier, in a keynote speech, Andy Berlin, the chairman of Berlin Cameron Red Cell, warned delegates that the advertising industry is a broken model that will not survive without radical change.

"Creativity is being restrained by the need to make profits," he said. "Clients are beginning to feel about agencies as they did about lawyers in the 80s and 90s."

"Delivering client control is what agencies need to strive for, rather than chasing the latest fad," he added.

"The big idea that will change the advertising business is the concept of shared risk where we split revenues and costs 50/50 between the agency and the brand owner."

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This article was first published on Campaign