And now for something positive.

In this issue we present the third annual Boards Best of Year round-up of the most critically acclaimed work and those responsible for it (this exercise was formerly called the Boards Awards: Cute? Yes. Unambiguous? No.) The list of top spots is a stellar showcase of Anglo-American ad know-how (though, and I know I'm asking for punishment on this, I've never quite understood the frenzied popularity of "Bear"). Hearing from some of the people who created and brought some of this work to life is as good a thing on which to focus as I can think of right now and brings us perspective on what it takes to do keep doing great work - notwithstanding the death of the commercial, the death of irony, the death of Propaganda, anthrax, fear of flying, the million-dollar signing bonus, "Harry Potter," and an economic shit storm raining suffering all around.

Among those contributing insight: Cliff Freeman and his creative and production partners, Traktor (thanks for the cover) and Gavin Mackenzie, as well as Rocky Morton, Mark Tutsell and Kuntz & Maguire.

Freeman talks in this context about what it means for an agency to have its work recognized as critically as well as commercially successful - to use awards as a way of defining one's commitment to do something out of the ordinary. He seems to have done this effectively as have the other names which have consistently clogged this list and other awards pamphlets - the Fallons, the Wiedens and on the production side, the Headquarters, the hungry mans, the Partizans and, poignantly, the Propagandas of the world. The fate of the latter brings into relief the increasingly tricky proposition of achieving ad excellence (and surviving) now. As Freeman points out, though many may grouse during Cannes that this year's work was weaker than that year's, the overall product is better than ever. "When you've been in the business for a while you realize how far the work has come," he says. "In the '70s or even the '80s the general level of creativity was lower." Add a raised creative bar to an overall climate wherein everyone must do more with less and doing great work seems to become a gargantuan act of sheer will. Doing it with great consistency while keeping it fresh is the razor's edge as trodden so well by the Best of Year alums.

Says Freeman on the agency's approach: "It's about experiencing something new, something you didn't expect. That's why sports are so powerful - it's one of the few places where you don't know the script; you don't know the ending. That element of surprise - it's so rare in our lives that it's a powerful tool."

The Traktor collective surprised us with a tart tongue for those who would dismiss them for just "doing comedy:" "We don't do comedy either. We tell stories. Laughter is a better response than 'oh, isn't that clever.'" And those who have worked with the team will attest that in addition to some needed weirdness, they bring a very serious resourcefulness and creativity to a production, hence their ability, and the ability of many on this list, to celebrate one more time and probably not the last time.