With purpose and progress, advertising can break its cycle of rage

So, I explored my rage at advertising, it takes many forms: conflicting ideas and practices of progress, creative limitations, negative criticism, cynicism, unhealthy competition, outdated systems, xenophobia, and, of course, gatekeeping.

It’s clear we, as practitioners of advertising, are trapped in a cycle of rage. And even worse, it’s a cycle that serves no real purpose.

For example, the way we debate in advertising is always a zero-sum game. One way has to be right, and another wrong. Purposeful is wrong. We’re bored of inclusivity. Real stories “aren’t ideas.” Brands need to get back to being funny. There’s enough room in the world for many styles of advertising and many ways to tell a story and engage an audience. One doesn’t have to win at the expense of another.

All this does is create conflict between agencies and the people who work in them. It limits creative diversity instead of fostering it, we should celebrate as many different points of view as we can. That’s how we learn from each other and grow. And when it comes to gatekeeping, how many other Black, female-founded and owned advertising agencies are there in London?

When the industry is at an all-time new low economically and philosophically, surely the only way is up? A higher plane perhaps? A place where we can all elevate to and be elevated. Creating Calling was our humble contribution to this idea. ‘Advertising With A Higher Calling’ is our mission, in short a reason for our rage.

We believe that creativity is where the spiritual and material worlds collide. The act of creating is a spiritual practice, the ability to imagine something beyond what we can see and manifest it literally into the material. Something we are all so blessed to do every single day in advertising.

In a new world order, post-Covid and in the eye of this poly-crisis storm, we have to seek a higher calling now more than ever. According to Kantar research, 83% of consumers say they believe companies should stand for something beyond profitability—this reflects the seismic change the world experienced during and after Covid. Consumers are questioning their own beliefs and “whys,” so as brands and ad agencies, it’s our job to give them something to believe in.

With everything happening at a macro and micro level, cynicism is at an all-time high, and belief is one of the few things that we have to share and offer.

For us at Calling, belief is central to what we do. We believe that modern audiences deserve to see themselves in the brands they love. We believe all brands should have a calling for why they exist in consumers’ lives. Every opportunity we have to work with a brand, we look at what their calling could be.

This isn’t about “purpose marketing”; this is about what progressive advertising should be. The consumer is more whole and dynamic and wants to have a holistic relationship with their favorite brands.

For Dr Martens, the aim was to platform new and nuanced ideas of strength for the next generation of wearers. For the 100-year-old brand Interflora, it was about reaffirming its calling to allow people to say more to each other in this new, hyper-connected yet disengaged world. When it came to the British tea brand PG Tips, its calling was to help Brits have better conversations with themselves and gain a fresh perspective with every cup.

Despite its current failings, our industry still has value. It has given us lifelong careers and myriad learning experiences. It’s our duty to give back if we can.

We need to drive advertising higher and embark on an evolutionary journey to meet the consumer where they are now and in the future. This will help create a less narrow-minded, less cynical, more outward-looking, and positive agency experience in the process.

Rani Patel is MD and founder of The Calling. Continue the conversation with Rani on LinkedIn.