Recycled Creative Ideas

I have spent the majority of my career in advertising.  And during that time I have seen a few agencies recycle creative from one client to the next and within the same designated market area (DMA), to the same type of client while using the same mediums to deliver the message.

There are so many things wrong with this practice that I don't know where to begin.  Clients are paying these agencies for creative.  Fresh, new, effective creative.  If it's been done before (especially in the same DMA), it will lose its effectiveness.  It may be confused with the prior, original ad.  Lending more effectiveness to the first client, thus making it a waste of dollars for the others.

Plus, the first client to have paid for it should be upset as well.  If they have paid for the creative service, don't they now own it?  I would consider it an infringement for others to use the same concept.  It is understandable that common themes will be shared throughout every small business' creative concepts. But what I have seen are exact matches sold to everyone who will buy.

I would like to urge small, local business to demand fresh, new creative from your advertising agencies.  If your agency is trying to advise you to sign on to a recycled idea, drop them.  They are only there to make a quick buck, not to support your business.  In fact, these are typically the agencies that use one business as a pawn in a game to get better rates for another, larger client.  I've seen that happen as well.  Personal politics do not have a place when marketing decisions need to be made on behalf of small businesses. But that should be another blog post.

What are your thoughts on recycled creative ideas?