I thought my first trip to the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity would leave me with a jolt of inspiration and appreciation for advertising. Instead, I’m sitting here stunned by our industry’s behaviour.
The news of faked case studies, while infuriating, wasn’t shocking. What was shocking was the response to that news. “Everyone knew this was going on for years.” This sentiment echoed across social media. The complacent shrugs and “yeah, that’s just advertising” comments left me in disbelief.
Why are we all OK with this?
For years, the industry has played an odd game. We chase trophies, elevating awards as crucial for career advancement and new business. Yet at the same time, we privately accept that many of these celebrated “wins” were, at best, embellished and, at worst, outright fictional.
The fabrication of case studies has apparently been an open secret—something to wink and nod about.
The press and public attention around this year’s deceptive campaigns mean the emperor is aware that he’s naked. Clients know. Juniors know. And everyone who already knew can no longer quietly let it slide. Every award is suspect from this point on.
So, at this turning point, I have to ask: If the general consensus is that everyone’s lying to win awards, why do we still place so much value on those awards? We admit they’re often faked, yet we continue to pour resources into them and allow them to dictate careers.
We cling to awards for recognition and validation—the allure of bigger and better agency jobs and fatter salaries. When a win comes with so many promises and so much pressure from leadership, some will go to unethical means to make it happen.
The real cost
The price of this charade goes beyond tarnished reputations and worthless trophies. It’s eating our industry from the inside out. We won’t need AI to kill advertising when we’re doing that ourselves.
A 2024 Gallup poll showed that 50% of Americans would rate the honesty and ethical standards of people in advertising “low or very low.” What if the same poll were conducted within the industry? The call is coming from inside the house. We don't even trust each other. We are actively contributing to the perception that we cannot be trusted.
Advertising has become a breeding ground for cynicism. New talent comes in with wide eyes and eager hearts, ready to do meaningful work, and they’re met with negativity, complacency and sometimes even moral corruption. And those who refuse to play the rigged game often leave. How many brilliant minds have we lost because our industry operates this way?
And how far has the value of genuine creativity fallen due to these widely accepted lies? Our industry risks becoming known more for its storytelling about advertising than for its actual ability to help our clients.
A call to action
Fixing this deeply ingrained flaw requires a collective shift, not just a few pointed fingers. We’ve found ourselves exposed, and what we do next will reveal our true character.
For individual contributors, cling to your integrity. If you're in an environment where you feel safe speaking up, please do so. Even further, refuse to lie when asked. Not everyone can do that, but if you can, we need you. The more individuals who refuse to participate, the quicker the shift will happen.
For agency leaders, this started at the top, so the change will, too. Encourage a shift in internal metrics. Instead of award count, focus on verifiable client success and character-based wins. Maybe that even means moving that overflowing awards shelf out of the lobby.
I beg you to stop putting "award-winning creatives" in your job posts. If you need a Lion to get in the door, it’s a zoo, not an ad agency.
Finally, set up a way for people to anonymously report unethical practices, and make sure it is truly anonymous.
A more resilient, trustworthy ad industry
I’m not here to preach that “lying is bad.” But lying for awards that everyone knows are largely based on lies is absurd. Ask yourself if you’re truly OK with continuing to sweep the lies under the rug, given the costs.
If we do this next bit right, we can reclaim our credibility. We stand to gain a stronger reputation both internally and externally. We’ll be able to attract and retain top talent.
And we’ll return to celebrating the true innovation and creativity that I suspect drew many of us to this career in the first place.
Ashley Rutstein is a freelance creative director and the founder of Stuff About Advertising.
