Gulf advertsing in crisis mood (page 3 of 3)

So what are advertisers to do in the interim? The marketers have a ready answer: "Get creative."

Creativity, however, comes at a price. Recently a mid-sized, locally owned fast-food chain underwent an identity change. The promotional material needed the usual mouthwatering product shots. The agency in question intelligently recommended stock images. But the client balked at the price.

On a limited budget, the agency put together a truly incredible team: an out-of-work industrial photographer, a master chef from a local hotel to do the styling, and a motley collection of props sourced from just about everywhere. The sparks flew when the food stylist met the head chef of the fast-food chain.

They disagreed on everything from basic ingredients to cooking time. Needless to say, the fiasco ended with a very unhappy client. Since print deadlines were fast approaching, the only option left was the image banks. Payment was quickly made via credit card, the images downloaded and the day saved.

Ad budgets in Gulf aren't anything to write home about. Neither is the situation likely to change soon. Adding to the chaos are extremely short timelines: the Gulf advertiser prefers to wait until the last minute and then expects miracles.

Even if you can use a photographer, there's simply no time to plan and execute. Out come the art books, whirr goes the scanner, a pirated copy of Photoshop is booted up and a bleary-eyed designer converts a Western boardroom full of suits and skirts into a local one full of white robes and black cloaks. Copyright? Yeah, right. Relevance and creativity? Stop dreaming.