Working in the advertising industry in Cape Town is a wonderful mix of eclectic personalities and crazy brands. We often amuse ourselves by thinking up stereotypes that we see everyday in our workplaces. So here we have collected a series of ten of the best stereotypes found in circuses advertising agencies in Cape Town, and married them with some funny GIFs.
1. The Super Smug Designer
Nothing you do is beautiful. Nothing you do is meaningful. Nothing you touch can turn to gold. However, everything he or she does is golden, packed with meaning and endlessly desirable. And you better accept it.
2. The Long Street Survivor
Sometimes mistaken for a homeless person, he or she hasn’t been home in days. With so little time left to party, their colleagues just have to put up with the three-day-old beer smell, and accept that 9AM means “before lunch”.
3. The Once-A-Year Wonder
This rare specimen get’s its name from the odd fact that they only seem to be a part of the industry when there is a great party to be had. Throughout the year, their office is deserted, their parking bay empty, and their desktop off. However, when the Loeries come around, they are out in force, handing out dated business cards and singing jingles from the 90s.
4. The New-Media-Cross-Platform-Digital-Channel-Jockey
Always ready with a few statistics, The NMCPDCJ is someone we have all met. Quietly sitting as close to the client as possible, he says little or nothing of any importance until he realises his job may be usurped by another more-junior team member.
5. The Eternal Creative Intern
Regardless of how hard he or she tries, they cannot crack the nod. Permanently exiled to the world of BTL pet food and shampoo brands, they will never get a brief worthy of their skills, and will therefore continue to struggle in the purgatory of super-junior.
6. The Coffee Shop Client
Owning a business is a hard job, which is why this client has to meet you ‘on-the-go’. Now that you’ve had meetings at Truth HQ, vida e, Mugged, Haas and Origin, where could you possibly meet next? And, more importantly, when can you actually begin work on the brief?
7. The Fiction Fanboy
One too many graphic novels and sci-fi film festivals has rendered this gentleman incapable of communicating with other people. Unfortunately, this doesn’t stop him from trying. You will see him every night on Long Street, and read him everyday on your Facebook feed.
8. The Twitter Twerp
Once upon a time, he/she used to be a functional member of society. However, since March 2006, they are no longer able to hold a conversation, watch a YouTube video, or sit through a cup of coffee without sharing every moment and morsel with the 3000 strangers that stalk them online.
9. The Seedy CD from CT
From Mavericks to Cafe Mozart, this animal is never without six or seven buxom blonde interns/escorts he has amassed to laugh at his jokes. You should laugh at his jokes too. He does physically own one-fifteenth of the media and marketing industry. Who’s laughing now?
10. One Castle Lite and I’m Yoda
This character is truly amazing, regardless of which department he works in. From 9 to 5 he sits quietly doing his job, avoiding confrontation and generally keeping to himself. In the bar, he turns into the world’s most irritating public speaker, pushing his opinions incoherently and offering unwanted advice on everything from skydiving to the art of elephant grooming.
So that’s our first 10 stereotypes found in advertising agencies in Cape Town. Can you think of any more? Add your comments below, and we might include it in one of our follow up posts.
No 10 is the Tim.