We could write an entire blog post recapping the Golden Globe-winning HBO comedy GIRLS, written by Lena Dunham and produced by Judd Apatow. We love this show, and we’re not alone. Season two premiered to 1.6 million viewers (while competing with The Golden Globes), and we’re pretty sure nearly all of our favorite social media peeps were talking about it online.

But, like we said, we’re not here to recount the awkward nakedness and misadventures of Hannah Horvath (or her wayward friends). We’re going to recap the marketing. Duh.

It all started last year at SxSW (doesn’t it always?) when we had our first run-in with the #MistakesGIRLSMake marketing team. Ironic, because they did, indeed, make a lot of mistakes. Awesome, because we got free T-shirts and coffee mugs. But, we’re here to talk about the mistakes. Even professional marketers end up eating cupcakes while sitting in bathtubs. And guys, it’s not even their fault, OK? I swear, sometimes GIRLS are just so misunderstood! Ugh!

“I think I could be the voice of my generation.” In some commercials and promos, this line was the centerpiece on a table of leftover Chinese food and PBR, and when not followed by “Or a voice, for a generation,” well, it stunk. In its incomplete form, the quote gave the impression that Hannah Horvath was supposed to represent every twenty-something girl in the entire United States and maybe Canada. The line was written for a self-aware show, for a character lacking self-awareness – but the public saw things in reverse. And that made a lot of people angry Not only is Hannah vapid and reckless, she’s a privileged girl, living off of her parents (for a while), whose major obstacle is that she isn’t as successful as she thinks she should be. It didn’t help that they named the show GIRLS, a title that sounds a bit more all-inclusive than the show’s point of view. Mistake #1.

“This generation’s Sex and the City.” OK, yes, this show is about four female friends, living in New York, making mistakes. And when the actors (and the SxSW marketers) talked about it, they were quick to reference the punny HBO predecessor. But, while SATC glorified NYC living, casual sex (sorry, Dad!) and the glamorous world of publishing, GIRLS shows this lifestyle for the grim and devastating (not to mention homogenous) reality it is. So, when critics and viewers first met Hannah and her horrible friends (all terrible and amazingly written in their own way), they falsely assumed Lena Dunham was seeking sympathy for her ilk. And no one feels sorry for the rich girl. Mistake #2.

The Backlash. The first two mistakes happened before and during the first season of the show, but the second one happened before the second (current!) season. It’s what we expert marketers call “the overcorrection,” and it happens so often it hurts. If you haven’t figured it out, GIRLS is a show ABOUT girls, but it’s not a show specifically FOR girls. It’s a show for anyone who either has been or has known someone who moved to New York after college. It’s for anyone who knows someone who thinks they’re trying hard even though they’re not. It’s for anyone who believes privilege should be used for good, not exploited for selfish interests. The show is complex and unwieldy, and it forces those of us who may fit the Hannah/Marnie/Shoshanna/Jessa profile to confront our own entitlement – and that’s great. So why, now, is HBO using gym memberships and Urban Outfitters discounts and fashion to promote season 2? Why are they trying to convince viewers that they should be more like Hannah or Marnie? HBO, you’re dumbing down your marketing, and it’s dumbing down your audience (the whole generation that you’re subtly disparaging). Mistake #3.

The truth is, HBO had it right the first time, but they didn’t execute their message well, and the audience took their promotions at face value. The original campaign was sardonic and ironic (like the show), and the new approach is cloying and embarrassing. People of the world, a modest proposal: Learn to read between the lines — good art isn’t always intricately framed and well lit. And HBO, you have been warned (but please don’t cancel our subscriptions).

#MistakesGIRLSMade (But we love it anyway)

Insight on the HBO's GIRLS terrible marketing.

Mistakes GIRLS Made.

Regular

The SADDYs – Honoring the ADDYs in our own way.

How much do awards really matter? It depends on who you ask, really. On one hand, for an agency an award can mean a vote of confidence. For a potential client unfamiliar with the landscape of the industry, it’s a credible endorsement. For us, it means winning. And winning means…Celebrating.

We recently entered the ADDYS, and guess what? WE WON! (Insert loud applause here.) But when it came time to pay for a table at the awards banquet, after already paying to enter the contest, we decided to take the award and run. We talked it over with our friends and fellow award winners at Culture Pilot and decided to throw our own party instead. One that’s just a little bit [cheaper and] more our style: the SADDYS.

Disclaimer: We’re not trying to take the place of the ADDYs. If you won an award and you’re planning to go collect, stop by on the way! And if you’re opting out because the dinner tickets are a bit pricey, come spend your Saturday night with us. We’ll be drinking cheap beer, eating burgers and donating our raffle ticket earnings to charity.

CELEBRATING OUR OWN WAY.