Conquering Euro creatives

Your article “Gearing down” highlights the creative issues facing all sectors regarding pan-European campaigns.

TBWA’s spot for Nissan and Rainey Kelly’s Astra work are just two in a long succession of campaigns developed in the UK that have failed to impress our Euro cousins.

In fact, the tone of the article underscores the negative feelings the industry as a whole has toward such communication. But does this belief have to prevail?

If other endeavours such as music and film can successfully migrate borders despite the cultural and language difficulties, why can’t advertising?

Perhaps most worrying of all is this “it can’t be cracked” attitude from a country that quite rightly prides itself on being one of the most creatively inventive in the world.

Of one thing I’m sure: the more you tell creative people that there’s an insurmountable problem, the more they’ll move heaven and earth to solve it.

Maybe this is where the answer lies. Not bogged down in regional concerns or creative xenophobia, but in recognising that it’s a challenge we will increasingly have to embrace. And after all isn’t that what we get paid for?

Trevor Pettit

Executive creative director

Carlson Marketing Group

London SW15