At least it's about the work

I had to work this weekend, and I'm kinda grumpy about it. Not because it impinged on my time off -- I'm in advertising, I know that the hours are unpredictable, they always have been. It's because I don't believe in what I'm doing.

It's a little too inside baseball to go into here, but from the start I have disagreed with AD and his rather ditzy minion about the timing and direction of this project. The timing we got resolved rather easily. AD got us two more days and was conciliatory about committing us to an unmeetable timeline in the first place. That's fine. Account and creative are learning how to work together.

It's the direction the project is taking that is making me uncomfortable. The client gave us an offer they want us to promote. Is it the wisest, most compelling offer? No, but I can make it work. That is, after all, what the client pays their high-priced Michigan Avenue agency to do.

AD and minion changed the assignment by completely changing the parameters of the promotion. I think that's a mistake -- they're narrowcasting without considering our target audience -- but that's not the point. They've done this without letting the client know.

Since the client needs something in market by a specific date, this means there may well be a lot of tension in the room if the client doesn't like what we present. This is a risky gambit. He (the client) could review the creative concepts on Thursday, and may very well say, "What the fuck? Where's the offer I sent you?" (Except he'd never say "fuck" because our client is a very nice boy.)

My boss, who has been out of the office for over a week, will be back tomorrow. Maybe he can talk sense to AD. If not, then I guess we proceed down this unwise path. And who knows? Maybe I'm wrong and AD and the ditz are on to something brilliant.

The good news about this situation is that we're all getting along, we're all respectful. When The Chocolate-Covered Spider was in AD's job, it was all so fucking personal. With Spidey it was about control and keeping score and who was right and who was wrong. AD is upbeat and easy to work with.

He's also wrong. But what the hell.