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'Art & Copy' as slick as the ads it's about
Posted at 01:42 PM on Thursday, Nov. 12, 2009
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In Fresno Filmworks' "Art & Copy," a mostly fawning documentary about the advertising industry, we learn a startling fact -- Nike's "Just Do It" campaign was actually inspired by a mass murderer.
That's right, shoe fans: Advertising exec Dan Wieden reveals that the line was inspired by Gary Gilmore, who uttered "Let's do it" to the firing squad just before the deed was finalized. Even if the context was a little disturbing, Wieden liked the "do it" part of the phrase, he says. It was catchy. Concise. Practically, um, existential.
And it went on to help sell millions of pairs of footwear.
Here's the most interesting thing about the story, however, and a detail that is almost completely glossed over in this effusively golden-hued adoration of the creative side of the advertising industry: When Liz Dolan, who ended up as head of marketing at Nike, joined the company, no one told her the real story of "Just do it."
"That was not the version I heard when I arrived at Nike," she says. "I'm sure they didn't want anyone to know the genesis of the phrase."
Documentary
Running time: 1hr 30min
Rated: No Rating .
Visit the official site
Cast: Jim Durfee, Chad Tiedeman, Phyllis K. Robinson, George Lois, David Kennedy
Directed by: Doug Pray
Written by: Timothy J. Sexton
Talk about an unintentional insight into a part of advertising that this mildly interesting but obsequious documentary virtually ignores: manipulation. We're not talking about some crabby journalist getting his or her hands on a piece of damaging proprietary information. Here's someone high up on Nike's organizational chart who got spun by her own team.
And "Art & Copy" just merrily rolls along at the revelation, ignoring the blip of negativity, content to grovel at the feet of the men and women who brought us "It's morning again in America," "Where's the beef?" and "Got milk?"
Consisting mostly of talking-head interviews with some of the lions of the industry, including the gravelly voiced Hal Riney who brought us the former President Ronald Reagan "Morning again" campaign ad, the film is a chance to relive some of the famous moments in advertising industry.
From Apple's "1984" Super Bowl spot to the fast-talking FedEx guy, we're expected to smile fondly at the memories, marking them as cherished cultural signposts and marveling at the massive amounts of brain power/genius/higher-being brilliance that went into their execution.
There are a few times when director Doug Pray strives to get a little more than surface deep. But mostly, "Art & Copy" is an exercise in breathless hero worship. It's a slick, glossy look at advertising that comes across as -- dare we say -- an advertisement.
The reporter can be reached at dmunro@fresnobee.com or (559) 441-6373.
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