Pork-Barrel Advertising

It looks like a bailout program for Detroit's big three automakers is getting closer to being approved in Washington although it's no done deal yet. And we're all familiar with the many billions of taxpayer dollars that will be doled out to various financial services firms (what it's being spent on I can't tell you).

Not surprisingly, all of this money comes with government involvement in the way these business are actually run. Including, presumably, something of a say — or possibly a big say — in the marketing and marketing budget.

Think about the (potentially) imminent "car czar". According to AdAge, this car czar would control a media budget upwards of $7.3 billion. That's the biggest media budget of any advertiser in the US. Not to mention agency fees associated with all those (unnecessary?) GM, Ford and Chrysler brands (note: not to be insensitive, but you know all of these numbers will be shrinking).

All I can say to this is "Holy shit."

Can you imagine what special circle of hell it would be to have the "car czar", the Senate, Congress and White House as a collective client? Imagine trying to get a creative brief approved. Or getting any actual creative work developed, much less approved. Think about all of the special interest groups that would be lining up to get in on the action: film this on my state road; show my biggest campaign contributors in the ads; hell, put me in the ad...I'm a senator; only use the cars from the plants in my state. It could go on endlessly. It will go on endlessly.

I'm getting ahead of myself, though. Just think about what's going to happen with product development and design. With the approval ratings of our politicians at the lowest levels ever, it's obvious that they're completely out of touch with the general public and don't seem to have any idea what citizens want.

Arrogant, out-of-touch, self-serving people trying to run a business that needs fresh, innovative and compelling thinking.

Wait a minute...that's the way the car companies are today. Maybe I'm over reacting; looks like it might be status quo. Let's all sleep easier.