George Lucas doesn’t get it. Do we?

Concept is king. Well, that used to be the rally cry at Richter7 and in the ad business anyway. In other words, it’s the idea that really stops the audience long enough for them to realize (and perhaps even be interested in) what’s being advertised.

Somewhere along the way, however, many in the industry seem to have exchanged the importance of the big idea for the coolness of the media vehicle. As if the technology itselfis the concept.

I liken it to the makers of Hollywood blockbusters that have invested in absolutely mind-numbing special effects, but seem to have forgotten to include something else. Oh yeah, the story. (Sorry George.)

Don’t get me wrong, explosions and 3-D graphics can certainly be impressive and sometimes even justify the $10 ticket price. But the movies that generally resonate the most have well-written dialog and an intriguing plotline. (Again, sorry George.)

Advertising—be it print, TV, tweet, whatever—needs something equally compelling. For every Whopper Sacrifice or The Man Your Man Could Smell Like, there are a thousand soul-less, me-too campaigns out there.

I suggest we aim for the former rather than the latter, no matter what the medium. Sure, we’ll fail more often than not. But as ad giant Leo Burnett famously said, “When you reach for the stars you may not quite get one, but you won’t come up with a handful of mud either.”

P.S.—For those who would counter that the last three (or was it the first three?) Star Wars movies made George Lucus an even wealthier Hollywood mogul, I would say at what cost? Anyone willing to sell out their brand for a quick buck is welcome to it, and probably missed their calling as a lawyer hawking class action suits.