Comments on: CB Exclusive: McCann promotes Australia’s John Mescall to global executive director role

By: Faye Meyer

Faye Meyer — Wed, 20 Dec 2017 01:55:12 +0000

Hi my name is faye Meyer
I WORK for metro trains in melbourne.
I love your Dumb ways to die..
Ive sent a email to my bosses about a idea for 2 new cartoon.
Regading using phones and earphones around train crossings and on plaforms..I nearly watched a woman fall of platform in pit and it scared me to death..If a train was coming,well the inpact..
Tp many walk across train crossings also while on phones and have ear phones on,they seem to lose concentrations..We need to highlight what can happen..This may be in the process but it would be a prviledge to see tbi6s happen…love to help.

By: ocdg is right

ocdg is right — Fri, 20 Jun 2014 06:00:49 +0000

Old CD guy, speaks the truth.
Anyone who thinks otherwise is naive.
But hell, the money will be good.
Top ten regrets of the dying, number 1: I wish I’d spent less time at work.

By: Pitch Doctor

Pitch Doctor — Fri, 20 Jun 2014 05:22:50 +0000

Having seen a few guys do it as @Export says I decided to do it myself. A massive ego, a willie like a cashew, and a job at McCann’s Sadly I wasn’t successful, all the management guys had even smaller willies. Old CD Guy was the exception of course. Neither of us lasted

By: PLEASE PEOPLE

PLEASE PEOPLE — Fri, 20 Jun 2014 03:29:32 +0000

Can we please talk about the fact that Metro SOLD DUMB WAYS to Empire Life Insurance.
I can only imagine word getting out, and every other client going, “we can do that? holy shit. let’s sell our platform idea and get some cash back.”
This is a big deal. Why has no one noticed?

By: @Export

@Export — Fri, 20 Jun 2014 02:37:42 +0000

I think you’re saying what’s the point of working so hard when all you get for it is more hard work.
I think you’ll find that’s life mate.
And if it’s so bad over there, come back.

By: @ Export

@ Export — Fri, 20 Jun 2014 02:02:34 +0000

Fuck me, your glass is half empty. Here’s how else it works.
You decide, at the top of your game, to back yourself and open an agency.
Local, national and international fame follows, along with huge cheques from huge clients who just want a bit of the magic to rub off.
Once your roster is enormous, you sell 49, 51 or 100% of your shop to some behemoth network who’ll run it into the ground. But what do you care? You’ve got squillions of bucks and a car you can open with your watch (for example).
And if you’re Sean Cummins, you even do it all over again.
Win!

By: Export

Export — Thu, 19 Jun 2014 20:07:48 +0000

Here’s the thing.
I’m sitting here and going through the Cannes winners. There’s some good stuff. And then there’s stuff, like the radio Grand Prix winners, that I’m not even sure I would have entered. It’s just so derivative and ordinary. And it makes me want to drink a Red Bull. Pity it’s not for Red Bull. Maybe that makes me out of touch. Dunno.
But it got me thinking about this career called advertising.
You work really, really hard, against all odds, and mostly against the clients you’re doing the work for, to get something good up. Everything is an uphill battle. Everyone, from client service to client to media (especially media) tries their best to kill or dilute or change your idea. But, just occasionally, you manage to get it up. And you win. And it’s glorious.
And right at the pinnacle, you get something truly astounding up, like Dumb Ways to Die. Universally adored. Just fucking magnificent work.
And you win. Everything.
And your prize is to become the global creative head-man of an advertising conglomerate.
Huge ego boost. Even bigger salary. Worldwide respect. You have arrived.
But what do you really get? Longer hours fighting more difficult battles. Politics and back biting. And a ticket to another country, where you’re essentially alone.
Make no mistake, you’re alone. I’ve done it more than once, and it’s harder than anyone will ever care to admit. You lose your family and identity and the ability to just pop down the road and hang out with your friends. Your partner will hate it, after the initial gloss wears off. And your kids will struggle, even though they’ll put on a brave face, because they’re just kids and it’s hard to fit in and their friends are suddenly all gone.
And that’s the ultimate glittering prize? That’s what you get for winning every award, and proving that you’re a creative god amongst men. A ticket to a life that’s going to be way more stressful and way less fun than the one you have now.
I wish John the very best of luck, and I hope it works out beautifully. But I think the whole system is irrevocably fucked.

By: Tim Berriman

Tim Berriman — Thu, 19 Jun 2014 06:31:34 +0000

Go Johny, Go!

By: Charles Richards

Charles Richards — Thu, 19 Jun 2014 04:47:22 +0000

While we should have nothing but admiration for John’s abilities, let’s hope his survival skills are as honed as his creative ones.
Game of Thrones has nothing on the machinations of an advertising corporation.
One only has to remember most every brilliant Campaign Palace creative who went for the mainstream big chance (and big $$$) only to be wrung out and hung out to dry, then when dry enough, spontaneously combust into to freelance dust.
Illuminati such as Mather, Vaughan, Woollett, dare I say it, even Lionel in a less public configuration and so many others. Only Scott and Ted seemed to have survived, but at what creative cost.
Good luck, but gird your loins John and heed Old CD guy’s prophesy.

By: Dude

Dude — Thu, 19 Jun 2014 04:20:55 +0000

Old CD Guy, you may be right. You may be spot on. You may be a genius masquerading as a bitter old man.
But my God, you can be a downer sometimes.

By: just interetsed

just interetsed — Thu, 19 Jun 2014 04:01:19 +0000

@oldCDguy
genuine question…
When did you last work at any of McCann’s offices?

By: @ Old CD Guy

@ Old CD Guy — Thu, 19 Jun 2014 03:33:56 +0000

Or, mate, you weren’t good enough.

By: Another old McCann guy

Another old McCann guy — Thu, 19 Jun 2014 01:03:59 +0000

What he said.
Don’t do it if you like doing good ads.
Do it if you like talking about good ads.

By: Old CD Guy

Old CD Guy — Wed, 18 Jun 2014 22:44:33 +0000

I sense it will end in tears. I don’t know John, but he strikes me as the sort of genuine, naturally talented, unaffected creative guy who will run into a massive brick wall in New York. That he managed to get a great campaign up at in an Australian McCann office is certainly a feat. I worked in one in the 13th century and one was always struggling against the forces of conservatism both within the agency and amongst its clients. I too scored a few hits in my day, but the victories are short-lived. I doubt that the corporate culture has changed too much since then. Key Point: The monolith that is McCanns is a business in which the making of advertising is an annoying nuisance which gets in the way of its true purpose – making money. Resistance to fresh, fun ideas is part of McCann Erikson’s DNA. That is McCanns default position. ‘Dumb Ways To Die’ was a fluke – not in its inception because that’s all credit to John and whoever else thought it up – but that it got through The System. John will find this out at his peril as they try to remake him in their own image. He will be a novelty act, paraded as some sort of Messiah – until it all falls over and he is fired for trying to change what can not be changed. How can I be so confident in making this bold prediction? It happened to me.

By: Adam Ferrier

Adam Ferrier — Wed, 18 Jun 2014 13:21:01 +0000

Congratulations John – great news.

By: We'll done

We'll done — Wed, 18 Jun 2014 08:47:22 +0000

Just reward for a great talent

By: Hats off

Hats off — Wed, 18 Jun 2014 08:03:10 +0000

Could not happen to a nicer guy. Deserves everything he gets.
Congrats. Justin C.

By: Hats off

Hats off — Wed, 18 Jun 2014 08:01:44 +0000

Could not happen to a nicer guy. Deserves everything he gets.
Congrats. Justin C.