GRILLED CHEESE AND APATHY
Journal Entry
THOUGHTS™
07–10–2022
︎ Writer: Stew Caldo
Fuck [REDCATED].
And fuck [REDACTED]. And truthfully, fuck bad leaders. I can't stand watching someone rip apart a competent team and project because they don't understand how they fit into it. It's incredible to me how one bad leader can fuck something up so quickly.
I poured my heart and soul into [REDACTED]. The project that it was, and everything it became along the way. So many hours and thoughts that can't be accounted for by a dollar amount. That's the thing about this job; emotions will always be attached to what you do. That's how you do great work.
It's an incredibly flawed system from a birds eye view.
- Brand finds creator or agency through great work or great project.
- Brand hires creator or agency on the proof of concept their last work held. Asks for something in their style that they do best.
- Brand decides they know best and foregoes the creator or agencies best judgement.
- Project is a half-baked pile of shit.
We've all faced it. I think in a lot of phases of this cycle, creators forget that the brand is a customer. They ordered something, and if they have complaints, it's our job to a certain extent to deliver that product or service correctly.
I think of it like a restaurant. A restaurant where we work as the chef, and have been awarded many years running for our world famous burger.
The brand (customer) comes in because they've heard great things about this burger. Once inside, they make great conversation and compliment us on the burger we make so well. Then we ask for their order – and they respond "I'll have a grilled cheese". Our grilled cheese may taste like moldy underwear compared to the burger, however, they've paid for it.
And that's the pain of running a restaurant. You're a servant to the customer.
But one day, you become good enough at your craft.
And when someone comes in asking for a fucking grilled cheese, you get to spit in their face.
Or kindly spend 8 hours redirecting them to a different order strategy that leads them to the burger you do oh so well.
But how do you know when you've arrived to that level. How do you know when it's safe to turn down work. It makes no sense to close your doors to customers. Unless, you really do make the greatest burger in the world. And you know that only few deserve it.
Everyone in LA ends up making fucking grilled cheese. It's a city of compromised values and ethics. In a world of grilled cheeses, we need creative minds to turn on the fryers and flip some fucking burgers.
It's 3PM on a Wednesday. I should probably eat now.
Fuck you [REDACTED].