Along with my writing, clients pay me for my advice or expertise. I wouldn't say they always defer to what I say, but they do give my ideas consideration. Sometimes I find it challenging to go out on a limb and tell them what I really think, rather than play it safe and temper my thoughts by making them more mainstream. A few years ago, and before I went "out on my own," a client brought in a mock-up of an ad. See photo at right. The production team took the mock-up, used a pretty font, some clip art, and made a perfectly nice and attractive ad. I was very disappointed.
I thought keeping the mock-up as the ad would have been a much better way to attract attention. It's kind of like folk art (there's that going out on a limb again!). It really is a beautiful piece, isn't it? Don't you think it would have attracted a lot of attention? Jumped off the page amid a sea of similar pretty font + clip art ads? Too bad it got gentrified and the soul sucked out of it. Very Disney (in the bad way).
There is a happy ending, though. The mock-up is framed and hanging in my kitchen. I still love it.
