If every daytime sky was cloudy and gray, would we bother looking up? If every house was built the same, would there be any pride in ownership? If everyone was beautiful, would anyone be beautiful?
It’s the same reasoning behind my belief that bad advertising serves a very useful purpose. Why? Because bad advertising makes great design stand out. It makes us marvel at the really clever ad campaigns. Bad ads redefine failure and gauge success. They stimulate fresh ideas and give us plenty to talk about. Did you see such-and-such? Wasn’t that awful? Nothing like that ad for . . .
By opening our eyes to the really great stuff, I think bad ads do us a whole lot of good, the same way a week of cloudy days helps us appreciate – and point out to others – a remarkably clear, blue sky.
