Crawford warns of dangers facing adland as he looks for new opportunities

One of Australia’s leading planners, outgoing Clemenger BBDO Sydney’s Al Crawford, has said the advertising industry is facing a correction, and “common sense” will need to prevail if it wants to continue to connect with audiences.

Clemenger’s executive planning director, who will be departing the agency after eight years in April, noted that while common sense was creeping back into adland, agencies need to go back to their roots in order to sell more to consumers.

“There is a danger in the industry, and it’s not just the creative output, it’s the strategic output, it’s not sufficiently connected,” he said.