Heroes are Hard to Find in Advertising.

This morning I woke up to read a review of "Stones & Sticks," book three of my Advertising Survival Guide trilogy. The final of three. My swan song.

It was posted on Amazon Books by one of my heroes. For the record, I don't put many ad people on the advertising hero pedestal. It's just not a smart place people who'll disappoint you, given half a chance.

The only thing wrong with most advertising people? Welp, they're advertising people.

Getting back to my reason for writing this article. A hero. Ernie Schenck, whose name I try to misspell every time I write it but whose words have always meant the world to me graced me with the ultimate compliment in the form of a book review on Amazon

Pinch me, before I die and go to heaven, er, hell, er, you get it.

I knew Ernie's work long before I met the man. Anyone who came up through the business in the eighties and nineties knew Ernie's work. It didn't shout like so much work does or did BITD. It didn't resort to cheap shots or cultural events. It was driven by human insight rather than the trend du jour.

Ernie's work, often with stellar art direction from John Doyle, generally took a human path. And for me, it seemed to resonate deeper than a gag.

I still remember cracking open a fresh CA Advertising Annual filled with snarky humor and barbs years ago and coming across a B&W TV spot for John Hancock that told the story of a single mom. Straight from the heart. Pow. Ernie strikes again .

John and Ernie didn't show up in just about every award book on planet Earth by swinging rubber chickens around their heads. They did the kind of work that makes clients come back for more rather than get called on the carpet for going to the fringes.

I never looked at Ernie and John's work and asked, "I wonder how they sold that?"

I was too busy being taught a lesson about keen observation, class, and truth.

One day, I met the man.

When I arrived in Austin at GSD&M at the turn of the century, it was in hopes of doing career-defining work in a place where the shadow of my last name didn't loom over me like a sushi fart trapped in a passenger plane at 20,000 feet, which is a story better told in my books.

Ernie had been hired freelance and I was a newly minted GCD working alongside David Crawford, a great art director and a friend to this day.

When I heard Ernie was in the building, I sheepishly tracked him down and being careful not to fanboy him, asked if I could buy him a cup of joe and pick his brain on the subject of creating great work and being a good creative director.

He not only humored me but treated me to a Mr. Miyagi moment the likes of which I had only had from my dear old dad and a small handful of mentors up to that moment.

You Can't Be Your Employees' Besties.

I'm certain Ernie expressed it more eloquently than I just did, but the net was a piece of advice I took to heart and have never forgotten since. It changed the way I engaged with my people from that moment onward and I'm convinced Ernie's advice changed the trajectory of my career because I had the good sense to take it as gospel.

I don't know how to thank Ernie for his wisdom and generosity so I'll just leave this here. Ernie has a Substack newsletter. If you're not reading it, you should be .

He's on LinkedIn. If you're not connected, you should be .

You've not only made my morning with your review, Ernie, you've had a big hand in making me want to share the best things I've ever learned with those who have asked or had the grace to order my books .

Heroes aren't as hard to find as you might think. I've just turned you onto one.

#theadvertisingsurvivalguide, #TASGT, #chewwithyourmindopen, #spittinchiclets, #stonesandsticks

Cameron Day is a fractional mediocrity repellent and author based in Austin, TX. He has the supreme advantage of being selective about who he works for and what he works on. You can order his books in Kindle or paperback via Amazon or get hand-signed editions through his website, where you'll also find a special three-book deal for his trilogy. Enough of this third-person stuff.

www.iamcameronday.com