I suppose it was inevitable, given advertising’s seemingly limitless appetite for self-infatuation.  As the ad industry continues to celebrate creativity with far less emphasis paid to effectiveness, the definition of great work — especially what constitutes “work” — has become increasingly fuzzy.

For years agencies have stretched this definition by investing considerable creative resources in pro bono campaigns.  While countless worthy causes have been helped by these efforts, there’s little doubt that many agencies are more motivated by the creative license to earn awards and other recognition.  Fair enough.

Now comes word that the industry’s pre-eminent creative competition, the Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival, bestowed a Bronze Lion last week on a fake commercial.  The  “Speed Dressing” spot, in which a teenage couple races to see how quickly they can put their clothes back on before being caught by their parents, uses the logo, tagline and brand position of J.C. Penney.  According to The Wall Street Journal, the retailer denies involvement and is in “serious discussion” with its relatively new agency, Saatchi & Saatchi, about what happened.

Shame on the folks at Cannes for not doing their homework and verifying the existence of a legitimate client.  And let’s hope our industry hasn’t lost sight of this one simple fact:  our purpose is to create ideas not for our own glory, but to help people solve problems.

So I’m at the American Association of Advertising Agencies‘ Digital Conference in New York.  Lots of guys dressed all in black, with those rectangular eyeglasses frames that have become “de rigueur” among the geek cognoscenti.

But there were also a surprising number of “traditional” agency types on hand, many of them still searching for ways to integrate the undeniable power of interactive technology into their mix.  While most agencies of any caliber undoubtedly have the capabilities to produce compelling inteactive work, it’s clear our industry has a ways to go before capitalizing on the strategic importance of all things digital.

How?  Here are a couple of thoughts:

• Agencies need to stop playing catch-up and get ahead of the technology curve.  Instead of waiting for someone to develop the next Google or Facebook, smart agencies will adopt an R&D mindset and create the next generation of interactive tools.
• Mobile marketing presents an enormous, untapped world of opportunity, especially in the U.S. where development has lagged behind other parts of the world.  With consumers demanding more control and marketers seeking more engagement with their audiences, mobile provides an unparalleled chance to build deep, one-to-one relationships.
• Data is the new creative.  Digital technology allows marketers to track and measure everything, but synthesizing disparate pieces of data into a cohesive marketing strategy remains a challenge.  As analytics evolves from proving performance to dictating direction, don’t be surprised to see more Ph.D.s roaming the halls of top shops across the country.

Being a young twenty-something working in one of the most creative agencies in the Southeast in one of the trendiest up-and-coming cities in the Southeast, I always take advantage of the opportunity to be a part of this grown-up scene I have magically become part of since I graduated from Clemson University last year.

So when the chance to win tickets to a showing of Crimes of the Heart at Centre Stage Theatre popped up in my email inbox last week, I simply responded, “Sign me up!” And as you can probably guess — I actually won!

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We knew it was coming, we just didn’t know when. Google has finally taken its Street View crew to Greenville. The shot above is the Erwin-Penland building from the Church Street bridge. We have been waiting for this moment for a long time and unfortunately we missed our opportunity to follow the Google vehicles around with a big EP sign. When we first saw this service appear in major cities like New York we couldn’t believe it and questioned whether or not they would roll it out around the country. It just goes to show, never doubt Google.

EP prevailed against some of the top names in the ad biz last night, winning the Radio-Mercury Award for Best Public Service radio commercial.

The winning spot, created to promote responsible alcohol consumption throughout the Clemson University community, bested efforts from such notable shops as Mullen, Wongdoody, Y&R . . . oh, and some outfit in Boston named Hill Holliday.

Kudos to the creative team of Karen Walker and Jason Smith, who will collaborate again to find a deserving charity for the $2,500 donation that accompanies the award.  And check out Karen and Jason’s podcast about the campaign at http://radiocreativeland.com.

Check out the CNN story on EP’s latest pro bono campaign for Greenville Humane Society, which is sure to turn some heads.

To promote Sips for Snips, a fundraiser for the Humane Society’s spay and neuter programs, EP developed a series of ads and posters to convey the fact that the only way your pets can practice safe sex is if you have them fixed.

A companion poster, designed to look like a series of personal ads, shows precious pets in promiscuous poses, accompanied by a phone number where sultry recorded messages remind people about Sips for Snips and the importance of spaying and neutering.