Don't Bite Back

I promised myself I would never dabble in controversial crap.  But this latest bit about the Department of Tourism's new campaign is just tempting me to bits!
Plus... it gives us Raketistas a post-ad launch life lesson:  How To Properly Handle Criticism.

Every Adman should expect this.  Creativity is subjective.  You can never please everyone.  And, you live in a country where people feed off cynicism as a way of surviving day-to-day physical and emotional exhaustion.
Remember the Charisse and Jinkee Pacquiao alleged Photoshopped magazine covers?  No difference.  Where there is unbelievable good, there will always be a devil's advocate.  Where there is an Optimist Prime, there will always be a Negatron and all that.

Come on!  If you thought a big launch (such as a DOT campaign) will yield nothing but roses and rainbows, you must still be sleeping with your Care Bears stuffed toy.
You should expect action!  Nothing less!

So when cheap shots and non-informed BS get flung at you left and right (mostly from social media which has long empowered all Filipinos to be highly opinionated and verbal) minutes after breakdate, how is it best to respond?
Defend your work ONCE --in the smartest, but most casual, light-hearted manner.  Then, relax and watch the show.  When you know you've done great work that will sell, there's really no need to be defensive and combative.  There's no need to 'beat them at their own game' because you're leagues ahead of that.  You already have the vision while all they have is a comment box.  If you fight back for every insult, then that makes you just as negative and unsure as they are.  That makes you just as transparent as a pothole-pocked bad campaign.

Watch them bark.  Don't bite back.  Believe me, it's more FUN that way.

To wrap it up, remember this, Raketistas.  When you're launching something big, expect big reaction --good and bad.
Then expect yourself to rise the bigger man.

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