CAREERS MEDIA: Don't flush your talent down the toilet, creatives warned

<p>A more relaxed, liberal society has led to an increase in vulgar </p><p>humour in ads - but this could have negative repercussions for your </p><p>brand, warned New York Festivals president Gerald Goldberg. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"About 15 years ago in Japan, there was a TVC showing a boy farting </p><p>while sitting in a hot tub of water; you could see the bubbles slowly </p><p>rising to the surface. It was attention-grabbing and charming at the </p><p>same time. But I have to say that it has gone downhill from there," he </p><p>told MEDIA. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Mr Goldberg, who has been with the New York Festivals for about 20 </p><p>years, said another factor was that it was getting more difficult to get </p><p>noticed in the marketplace. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"There's so much being produced and so much being pumped into every </p><p>media channel imaginable, that doing something original is far more </p><p>difficult to achieve these days." </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>But he stressed that for this type of ad to be effective, it had to be </p><p>humorous. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"Being vulgar in the direct sense of the word isn't going to cut it; it </p><p>could, in fact, have negative repercussions for your brand." </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Does he believe that the belching and farting will continue to be a </p><p>genre unto itself? </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"Who knows," he said. "Maybe we are waiting for a new wave in creativity </p><p>that will put us onto a higher plane. Can't really see it from where I </p><p>am sitting right now though." </p><p><BR><BR> </p>