A funny thing happened on my way to judging the One Show Interactive today in New York. Due to an overload of the broadband system, fellow judge Ty Montague and I left the very modern and wonderful IAC building and wound up doing our judging duties in the cozy confines of the One Club itself at 21 East 26th Street. 

It would have been largely a non-event save for the fact that the room we were in had a wall of fame. Literally. 

Yep, as Ty and I were hunched over out laptops looking at the current state of digital creativity, there was David Abbott. And Bill Bernbach. And Ed McCabe. All staring down at us. 

Amil Gargano was there, too. Along with Phyllis Robinson, Roy Grace, and Diane Rothschild.

And modern legends, Jeff Goodby, Rich Silverstein and Dan Wieden. And of course, my boss Lee Clow was there, too. (Looking very retro.)

It was surreal. 

Yet for me, personally, quite comforting. After all, One Show Interactive can mesmerize a man. There’s all manner of genius design and ingenious technology. There are apps that blow you away. Websites that dazzle. Project summary films that can make the most mundane idea seem like the most magical. 

But just when I went astray and was seduced by some form of digital snake oil, a glance over at David Ogilvy snapped me back and forced me to make sure there was a selling idea amidst all that flash, code and oh-so-modern sans serif type. 

At the same time, I began to wonder if the legends would appreciate the work we were seeing? Could they even imagine how far we’ve come from the good ol’ days of TV, print and radio?

I’m pretty certain Bill Bernbach would have appreciated some of the Uniqlo Dry Motion stuff. There’s an idea here, a demonstration, and it’s beautifully art directed. 

I think Ed McCabe would be impressed with the BMW rampenfest. Volvo Rush? Maybe.

I could see Ralph Ammirati loving some of the Nike microsites. So cleanly art directed and brilliantly functional. 

Of course, I imagine Leo Burnett would be proud that the shop that bares his name is still relevant and doing some smart things. 

And as for the modern legends, well, like the Energizer Bunny they just keep going and going. The agencies that bare the names Goodby, Silverstein and Wieden each had some beautiful pieces that I saw. 

So there you have it. The past, present and future of advertising. 

In one place. 

In one afternoon. 

In one show.

Note: Rob shared his experience judging the One Show Interactive Round One exclusively with the readers of mad-blog.com. Rob is Executive Creative Director of TBWA\Chiat\Day in Los Angeles.

If you have any comments or suggestions please email Rob Schwartz.