🍣 The ad industry is a joke

Or at least it should be!

Hey friends,

Today on Salmon Theory:

• Why the industry should be more joke-y, featuring Paddy Gilmore

• Five legit links on distinctive assets, creativity loops, brain waves, the LGBTQIA+-friendly beer that is not Bud Light, and the power of specifics

• Three quotes on preparation, AI film and self-care

• One tip on how to make your creative briefs bang louder

Let’s goooo.

xoxo,

Rob

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🤣 Why the ad industry is a joke

(or at least it should be)

A lifetime ago, i used to do interviews on Salmon Theory, and somewhere along the way that stopped happening. Well, i’d like for it to start happening again, so here we are! These are meant to be short, sweet and hopefully provocative, just to give you different kinds of stim on your (and my) journey to keep going doing kewl things.

Without further ado, let’s quickly get into the mind of regular reader and Salmon Theory friend

Paddy Gilmore | Studio Gilmore

. Over to you, mate!

How would you describe your job to someone outside your industry?

I'm a humour consultant.

Using humour in ads makes people warm to the ads, the brand and, most importantly, it makes people more likely to buy the product. So I help brands like Epson, Allied Irish Banks and Tele2 understand how to use humour wisely and well.

I underpin all my work in what psychologists, sociologists and academics have discovered about humour. This means I don't bring hunches; instead, I bring science.

What would i need to know about your personal history to understand who you are today?

In my early twenties I did a Master's in Art History at the Courtauld Institute. As part of it I studied the humour techniques of avant-garde artists, like Yoko Ono. This, looking back, was the spark.

Humour exists in a world of paradoxes: it is universal yet individual; it is a tool capable of creating immense warmth yet, when inappropriate, it can cause deep pain. It taps into politics, gender, religion, and dozens of other areas. That fascination with humour has never left me — in fact, in the 25 years since I finished my Master's, it's only increased.

What is something you deeply believe but may never be able to prove?

As an industry, advertising has an unfortunate tendency to takes itself far, far, far too seriously.

To me, it's as much a part of the entertainment industry as a tool for sales. And humour is a central ingredient in so many forms of entertainment. What's more, if the ad industry were to realise this, I think people would enjoy ads a whole lot more.

What's a quote or lyric that summarises how you feel about your life so far?

“Do interesting things, and interesting things will happen to you” — Sir John Hegarty

What would you like to be remembered for?

Someone who taught people what humour is, how it works and how brands can best use it. Someone who viewed humour as a core human trait, as innate as breathing and one that, year by year, we're beginning to truly understand.

However, the idea of being remembered suggests I'm on my deathbed — and I'm far from that. While I'm still alive and kicking, and able to fire up my Mac, I write a weekly newsletter, Brands & Humour. My digital home is studiogilmore.com.

Who in your social feeds or email newsletters deserves more attention?

I'm a magpie and deliberately so, collecting books and facts from lots of different sources. In other words, I like to read about stuff I don't know a whole lot about, rather than what I do. Two writers — one on photobooks, one on cricket — stand out.

Andrew Eberlin

's Substack is called Photos, Photographers and Photobooks. It's curious, illuminating and always well-written.

Jonathan Liew is a Guardian sports writer who has a superb mastery of tone. His recent piece on cricket and fatherhood was extraordinary.

What's one thing you wish i had asked you?

What is the evolutionary reason behind humour?

In other words: when we were busy hunting and gathering, how and why did our minds develop a sense of the absurd and the funny?

There will never be a categorical answer to this, but that's what makes it so fascinating.

Thanks Paddy!

And thanks to all 17 Salmon Theory patrons for keeping this labour of love going.

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🔥 After the jump, patron-only notes including:

• Five legit links on distinctive assets, creativity loops, brain waves, the LGBTQIA+-friendly beer that is not Bud Light, and the power of specifics

• Three quippy quotes on preparation, AI film and self-care

• One top tip on how to make your creative briefs bang louder

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🌩️ Five legit links

1. Only 15% of brand assets are ‘truly distinctive’, study finds (Marketing Week)

An ECD of mine has a fantastic way of resetting our egos by saying stuff like: “if it gets noticed i will be happy, if it gets understood i will be chuffed”. Which basically hints at this, which is: assume most people will not, in this order: a) notice your shit, b) feel it’s distinctive, c) attribute it to you, and c) immediately get the message.

An ad that people understand but don’t remember is a nice pat in the back at best.

2. The Creative Loop Edition (Why is this interesting?)