Post-Cannes, dejected creatives who couldn’t even manage to squeak out a bronze win are probably feeling pretty sorry for themselves.
Luckily, there’s a cure for these woes: the Hot Praise Hotline. Those who call get a healthy dose of dirty talk in the form of “nice work!” and “you’re ECD material!” from some of the industry’s finest (creative directors, that is).
Yes, it’s a real thing, courtesy of creative studio Uncommon in London.
The 24/7 hotline gives callers access to “real creative directors with real thoughts and feelings” who are happy to seduce sad saps with hollow praise in exchange for a few bucks. And since we live in a world of brand purpose, even this has somehow managed to attach itself to a cause: all money raised will go the Creative Mentor Network, a London charity that connects mentors with young diverse talent.
The hotline was created to promote this year’s Shots Awards in Europe. Per Uncommon, the Hot Praise Hotline plays on the irony that “you can get instant industry recognition and praise by winning an award instead.” But aren’t the people not winning awards the ones who need this most?
Anyway. Uncommon rounded up a list of who’s who in the London ad scene to record “custom written tracks” for the hotline, including Mr President’s Laura Jordan Bambach, Creature’s Stu Outhwaite-Noel, Publicis’ Dave Monk, BETC’s Rosie Bardales, Leo Burnett’s Chaka Sobhani, Grey London’s Vicki Maguire, Droga5’s David Kolbusz and Uncommon’s Nils Leonard.
The group appears in a ‘90s-esque “commercial” for the hotline that’s complete with crimped hair, shoulder pads and a sax solo.
So don’t be ashamed—call the number below:
UK: 0901-888-20-99
Non-UK: +44 1223-250-600
Credits:
Client: Shots
Creative Agency: Uncommon Creative Studio
Production Company: Biscuit
Director: Daniel Warwick
Editors: Cut & Run
Post-production: The Mill
Sound Design: Wave Studios
Music Supervision: Theodore