Perspective... 2009 was tough, but we haven't lost any of the industry's enthusiasm

There’s no use pretending this has been anything but a rough year for the industry. Over the last 12 months, the business has been increasingly undervalued, marginalised by clients. Confidence has been lost in the face of procurement and reviews. Consumers, meanwhile, have become harder to talk to - either too cynical to listen, or producing their own advertising. It’s a bleak future, if you stop to think about it.

Hardly surprising, then, that the industry is a more sober place (literally) than it was. The lunches are shorter, certainly less liquid. There are fewer golfing days - for most, anyway - and the superfluous displays of success have been restrained.

Which isn’t surprising. The industry has had to fight hard to underline its credentials this year. This focus for clients has been on efficiency and effectiveness, and scrutinising marketing budgets. And yet, perhaps the business is in danger of going too far the other way, of trying too hard to be too serious. Where is the play and fun? Where have all the Don Drapers gone?

The industry may have never actually lived up to the overblown clichés as portrayed in Mad Men. (And thankfully so. At its most sexist and racially insensitive, you can’t help but watch it and wonder: ‘How did they ever think it was OK to say that?’). But it is built on personality, and the characters that give it its colour, oddity and drive.

And, despite the many knocks the year has delivered, their enthusiasm hasn’t waned. I’ve lost count of the times agency heads have cried out over the last few months what an exciting time this is to be in the business. Yes, the industry is going through a long overdue shakeout. But few are in doubt that we’re likely to come through the other side much better off.

In Asia, there’s one thing in particular that we can be thankful for. Despite the difficulties the region has faced, the depressing state of the business in Europe and the US is most certainly not as evident in this part of the world. We are still seeing genuine optimism here, and for most global FMCG clients, this is the region where growth will come from.

There’s good reason to be positive, if you take Japan out of the picture. Adspend in China and India is set to grow and the region is tipped to hit record levels in the next two years.

So, over the next few pages, you’ll see much of what Asia’s industry has to be proud of in our year-end review (see page 20). You’ll find the biggest headlines and comebacks. There are interesting facts and figures. But we’ve also thrown in a few lighthearted reads along the way. There’s a list of toe-curling quotes we haven’t dared publish until now, and lookalikes to provide suitable amusement at the end of the year. But this is our last issue of the year. So, if on occasion we appear to have been frivolous or just plain silly, we hope you’ll forgive us.

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This article was originally published in 17 December 2009 issue of Media.