OBSESSION WITH BRILLIANCE: MASCULINITIES AND CREATIVITY IN TRANSNATIONAL ADVERTISING AGENCIES. PAUL A.B. PRIDAY (June 2016) A thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, Department of Gender and Cultural Studies, School of Philosophical and Historical Inquiry, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, The University of Sydney. 1 DECLARATION I declare that the substance of this thesis has not been submitted already for any degree, nor is it currently being submitted for another degree. I certify that the intellectual content of this thesis is the product of my own work and that all the assistance received in preparing this thesis has been acknowledged. I certify to the best of my knowledge that all sources of reference and their authors, wherever known, have been acknowledged in this body of work. Signed: Paul A.B. Priday 30 June 2016 i ABSTRACT There is unprecedented interest in the construction and practice of gender in the workplace. In men’s studies, transnational business as an institutional location is recognized as important for understanding masculinities. On average, eighty per cent of the creative personnel in transnational advertising agencies are men. At the level of creative directors on average ninety percent are male. In this thesis I provide an empirically based description of how three cohorts of male advertising practitioners in Sydney, Delhi and Shanghai construct and practice a style of creative masculinity that gives their identities legitimacy and authenticity. I contend that creative masculinity is not hegemonic but is a form of maverick masculinity indexed to creativity. My empirical research consists of ethnographic observation in the M&C Saatchi (Sydney), McCann (Sydney), McCann (Delhi), Ogilvy (Shanghai) advertising agencies and in-depth interviews with male advertising creatives, and the women who work in the same agencies – the latter provide alternative perspectives on male advertising creatives’ identities and practices. It becomes clear that the creative department is a hierarchical ‘men’s club’ that through masculine cultural capital sanctions masculine privilege whilst collapsing traditional notions of class. My analysis identifies advertising as an always already male gendered occupation that is an intensely aggressive and competitive workplace where fluid power relations are used to define the rules of the game and the importance of winning. There is a professional expectation for advertising creatives to consistently produce authentic and award-winning work. This study identifies the persistent and personal state of anxiety that accompanies male advertising creatives as they seek acceptance for their work alongside the conflicting experience of rejection. A close examination of the relationship between creative labour and creative product reveals the importance of the visible display of creative work and the public recognition and endorsement of it. The five chapters, Manspace, Manbrand, Manpower, Manxiety and Manmade, provide an in-depth analysis of advertising as an ‘obsession with brilliance’. ii TABLE OF CONTENTS Declaration .......................................................................................................................... i Abstract ............................................................................................................................... ii Table of Contents .............................................................................................................. iii List of Figures ...................................................................................................................... iv List of Abbreviations ........................................................................................................... v Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................ vii Manplan - Introduction ..................................................................................................... 1 Manspace - A field of dreams ........................................................................................ 24 Manbrand - The self-management of creative masculinity ....................................... 60 Manpower - Dynamic power relations between creative, client and consumer ... 89 Manxiety - The creative worker and the working environment .............................. 123 Manmade - The importance of doing, being and being seen .............................. 161 Conclusions .................................................................................................................... 200 Appendix ....................................................................................................................... 204 Glossary of Terms ........................................................................................................... 211 Bibliography ................................................................................................................... 215 Notes .............................................................................................................................. 222 iii LIST OF FIGURES Manplan – Introduction 0.1 B&T, Leo Burnett, Sydney new creative hires. 9 November 2015. 0.2 The Hindustan Times, 15 January 2014. ‘A Powerful Wedding Affair.’ 0.3 The marriage market in the People’s Park, Shanghai. Chapter 1 – Manspace 1.1 Transnational advertising agency credos. 1.2 M&C Saatchi, Sydney composite showing the agency and location. 1.3 McCann, Delhi composite showing the agency and location. 1.4 Ogilvy, Shanghai composite showing the agency and location. 1.5 Diagram showing interconnected liminal spaces. 1.6 Panoptic view in M&C Saatchi, Sydney. Chapter 2 – Manbrand 2.1 Heineken (UK) and Penguin Audio Books (India) posters. 2.2 China-Britain tourism campaign 2013-2014. Chapter 3 – Manpower 3.1 Marilyn Monroe in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes 1953. 3.2 Portrait of J. Walter Thompson. Chapter 4 – Manxiety 4.1 Displaying creative awards in Delhi and Shanghai. 4.2 Mao poem on Graham Fink’s office floor. 4.3 British Airways Face television commercial. Chapter 5 – Manmade 5.1 Optus Australia-Netflix and Ricky Gervais, M&C Saatchi, Sydney. 5.2 Optus Clever Buoy, M&C Saatchi, Sydney. 5.3 ‘Happydent’, McCann, India. 5.4 ‘Cokehands’ poster, Ogilvy, Shanghai. 5.5 ‘Think small’, Volkswagen print advertisement, Doyle Dane Bernbach, NY. iv LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS Advertising Agencies: BBH Bartle Bogle Hegarty CDP Collett Dickenson Pearce DDB Doyle Dane Bernbach JWT J. Walter Thompson LEB Leo Burnett McCD McCann, Delhi McCS McCann, Sydney M&CSS M&C Saatchi, Sydney OGS Ogilvy, Shanghai Advertising agency work titles: AE Account Executive ACD Account Director ACDA Associate Creative Director – Art ACDC Associate Creative Director - Copywriting AD Art Director BD Broadcast Director C Copywriter CCO Chief Creative Officer CDA Creative Director – Art CDC Creative Director – Copywriting DCD Digital Creative Director DE Digital Executive DSP Director Strategy Planning EA Executive Assistant ECA Executive Creative Assistant ECD Executive Creative Director GC Global Chairman GM General Manager HOD Head of Knowledge MP Managing Partner v PA Personal Assistant PM Project Manager PRE Public Relations Executive RCD Regional Creative Director SAD Senior Art Director SAM Senior Account Manager SBL Senior Brand Leader SC Senior Copywriter SP Strategy Planning T Trainee TRS Talent Resources Specialist TVP Television Producer VP Vice President General abbreviations: AWARD Australian Writers and Art Directors D&AD Design and Art Direction (UK) DCMS Department for Culture, Media and Sport (UK) KPI Key Performance Indicator vi ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I acknowledge with respect the Gadigal people of the Eora nation who are the traditional owners and custodians of the land where much of my study and writing of this thesis took place. My sincere thanks to my hosts who invited me to conduct my research in their agencies. I was welcomed, supported and given complete freedom to meet their people, observe and take part in their daily activities. Their generosity is greatly appreciated. M&C Saatchi, Sydney: Tom McFarlane, Tom Dery, Ben Welsh and Natalie Brady. McCann, Sydney: Nicole Gardner. McCann, Delhi: Prasoon Joshi, Jitender Dabas and Kishore Chakraborti. Ogilvy, Shanghai: Graham Fink, Abel Xu and Eno Jin. There would be no thesis without the contributions of my research participants who gave of their time, their thoughts and opinions, creating a rich body of material for me to work with and I hope the result is worthy of their generosity and trust. If it takes a village to raise a child, it takes a department to produce a PhD. I am privileged to belong to the remarkable Department of Gender and Cultural Studies that is an intellectual and social home to its students and staff and where academic generosity is a cherished practice. It has been a privilege to work with Professor Elspeth Probyn as my supervisor and I am deeply grateful for her continued interest in my project and encouragement to put both my head and my heart into my writing. Elspeth’s emotional support and intellectual clarity pushed me to do things I would never have thought I could and gave shape and purpose to my work. I also enjoyed the generosity and encouragement of my co-supervisor, Dr. Prudence Black who always gave me time when I needed it and guidance when I asked for it. I express my sincere thanks to this wonderful supervisory