How to deal with delusional designers

Posted by Laura Bergells

January 26, 2007

The advertising business is filled with failing creative types. It is where they go to earn some cash while they gripe to other failed creatives about how the public does not yet understand their brilliance.

They remind us of the delusional American Idol contestants: the ones who believe they are wonderful, when clearly, they are not. And when the judges confront them with the truth of their delusions, their wounded egos throw stompy emotional fits.

Often, delusional designers who work for ad agencies will leave the ad game in a fit of picque, failing to understand how a customer could dare tweak their creative masterpieces. Here are four things to think about:

First of all, it’s not a creative masterpiece. It’s a dog food ad.
Second, the stuff the “creative genius” learned in design school last year doesn’t cut it in the real world this year.
Third, we ran the creative masterpiece/dogfood ad online, and quickly found that it pulled better with a less artsy-fartsy font and a different photo.
Fourth, I dared to demand a font and photo change, and now the ad has a 157% higher response rate.

Remember these four things the next time your ad agency guy tries to make you feel inferior for not appreciating his clever but crappy design concept.

He’s not the creative guy.

You are.

He doesn’t measure the effectiveness of the ad.

You do.

And the last thing you want is a “can’t touch this” creative masterpiece from a delusional, egocentric designer. Remember, this deluded designer still believes that the public doesn’t understand his brilliance, so he isn’t a good judge of what kind of design will really appeal to your audience.

You have to be the judge.

You have to shut down the ego and the posturing, and change the stuff that is not working.

If your ad agency or designer can’t or won’t design with change in mind…if they aren’t willing to adapt, learn, and grow…

Dump them. Vote them off.

Get someone who will collaborate with you.

It’s not about a designer’s ego.

It’s about attracting and keeping your customers.