“Don’t Call It a Family”
November 16, 2009Jon Brooks Comments OffThat’s from a post on Eric Proulx’ web site Please Feed the Animals, devoted to laid-off advertising professionals. (See previous EconomyBeat entry.)
It’s a rather profound if bitter denunciation of what Proulx sees as hyprocrisy in the advertising industry, but in this day and age, where mass layoffs are considered a routine part of the economic cycle, I think it speaks to the feelings of many workers concerning the changing nature of their relationship to the companies they work for.
I should have known better than to think the worst was over. That the anecdotal hires and increased headhunter activity signaled a respite from the putrid pall of pink slips littering our lives these last two years.
But no. Not yet. Not even close…
I’ve been able to distance myself emotionally from this absolute, indisputable fact. That is, until yesterday, when I stumbled on yet another post-dismissal drink- fest and saw, I dunno, a dozen amazing talents drowning themselves in their bottomless mugs of layoff lager. Some of them my friends. All of them too talented to be there.
I’m like the victim – not the criminal – who returns again and again to the scene of the crime. Or, as fellow animal Michelle tweeted to me yesterday, “You remind me of an Italian grandma who goes to funerals for social activity.”
Bukowski’s is where Boston’s ad scene goes to die. The otherwise amazing pub has been popularized by this brutal f***** business. This thankless, sure-we’ll-take-your-life-then-crap-on-it-when-we’re-done-with-you career we’ve chosen.
I’ve tried to stay positive. I’ve tried to give our collective creativity the benefit of the doubt. That somehow our industry would find a better way. But no. We are still nothing more than the fecal byproduct of advertising’s ineptitude.
And, you know what, I’m fine with that. We are line items. Gears in a cog. Makers of widgets. Stricken from the budget as easily as new copy machines and Aeron desk chairs.
But spare the “we are family” bullshit. Enough with the rah rah emails and company retreats. Stop telling us that the talented humans of Agency X are what separates Agency X from other Agency Xs. Because families don’t lop off the newest or most expensive offspring when the belt needs tightening.
Imagine that dinner conversation. “I’ve called this Proulx family meeting with some unfortunate news. As you know, we’ve just lost our main source of revenue – my job – so we had to make some tough decisions. Ben, as the eldest child you can stay but with 33% fewer meals. Clara, I’m sorry to say, your position as a child in this household has been deemed redundant. Since you were the last in, we thought it fair that Ben keep his position as Proulx spawn. However, because you have been here for 3 years, you qualify for a severance package, which includes placement assistance into a foster family. Feel free to use me as a reference. Really, I mean that. And thank you for all your cuteness and unconditional love. Best of luck.”
We are not family. Commitment is not reciprocated. It says as much right in the offer letter. “Employment at Agency X is at will and can be terminated at any time….” Shame on us for thinking that’s just boiler plate language. Shame on us for forgetting that everyone, EVERYONE, is out for #1.
We hang onto the culture myth. We believe you when you spout family values. We want to drink your Kool Aid. We want to join your movement. We want to be part of the something special that the 1/10th of 1% of advertising agencies temporarily achieve. We’re human. And humans need connectedness to something larger, spiritual even.
Shame on us for believing we could get all that from our jobs. And shame on you for making us believe you wanted the same thing.
