Agents Of What?

Image by DavidErickson via FlickrI recently asked several of my peers in the advertising world for their views on a few things, one of which revolved around the future of the Ad Agency. Tony Altilia, one of my first bosses in the Agency game back in 1985, (who is now a principal at http://www.maximpartnersinc.com/ in Toronto), replied with this link to a recent article in Fast Company called Mayhem on Madison Avenue. http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/151/mayhem-on-madison-avenue.html?page=0%2C0.

To me I think the article is required reading for anyone who is related to the Advertising Agency world in anyway today. Lines like "They're all well aware that coding is now prized over copywriting and that a resume that includes Xbox and Google is more desirable than one featuring stints at BBDO or Grey." should make classic agency people shudder. Currency today is technology and insight to stakeholders and communities. Both of these demand an open mindedness that has not been the hallmark of the traditional advertising agency.

As another one of my former colleagues, Chris Beaumont (Past CEO Grey Japan), said, "perhaps this Brand New World demands a new 'agency' paradigm - where we look at what it is important to be an 'agent for'...". I think Chris has hit the nail on the head and that those firms that figure out what the word "agency" means today will be the winners. The days of Mad Men went decades ago, as did the original definition of "Agency". No longer do you need an ad agency as a 'go between' media companies and marketers. No longer do you need an ad agency as a 'go between' stakeholders and the organization. So the question I ask you is what defines "Agency" today?

Related articles

• The Future of Advertising: Three Agencies' Visions (thedenveregotist.com)
• Digital Youngsters Have Mad Men On the Run (observer.com)

Is On-line Pivoting Marketers Into Publishers

The discussions rage about the deepening of the media pool from the shallow end of paid media (think traditional media) to the deeper end of owned media (think web site, facebook page) and earned media (think rating sites). Some, like the attached McKinsey article, advocate for the addition of two more levels of deepness, in the form of sold (my site sells ad space to another brand) and hijacked media (some community member rallies opposition on facebook to my brand). The key to the definition, as laid out by McKinsey, is in the definition of "who owns the interface with the consumer".

No matter where you stand on the topic, one cannot help but ask the question, as marketers go deeper into engaging with their customers, will they have to start to think like publishers, in that they now must create content themselves that continues to service the more demanding needs of their customers/readers?

Furthermore, with the knowledge that McKinsey has learned, that as consumers move through the journey with a brand they hunger for something deeper, more authentic and transparent. Do you think the ad/digital agency creative talent is currently capable of delivering this, being a third party resource to the client and brand?

As marketers build their online presence (in an owned or earned manner) to stay relevant, they will have to feed the channels/publications they have built, and this takes a commitment internally to have talent that can quickly say the right thing to quell a hijacking, or write with passion and knowledge about the company's products, services and promotions.

I believe many things will challenge marketers going forward but to me one of the biggest questions that I have, and one I get from my clients on a regular basis, is who will own the web/social content development and its consequences, because they know they have to but they also know it will mean creating a skill set intenally that they do not have. They will have to learn to think like publishers!


Enjoy the thought provocative piece form McKinsey in the attached link. Make sure you also listen to the audio piece inside the link. (I am aware you have to become a member to the McKinsey site to get the full story but it is worth it. They are the world's number one business consultancy out there. Oh yeah, and it's free to join.)
http://www.mckinseyquarterly.com/Beyond_paid_media_Marketings_new_vocabulary_2697

Love This Presentation Aid

Daniel Pink is indeed a smart guy. I often think his insights are real real good. This time though what blew me away was how RSA Animate took Pink's insight to another level of comprehension. It just shows how important visuals (or painting a visual) are to effective communication.

Click on the video link to be wowed.

RSA Animate -- Drive: The surprising truth about what motivates us from Daniel Pink on Vimeo.

Sneakerpedia

The ad below is a real good example of how to build a community and have your brand be at the center of it. Now this ad from Foot Locker is how to build brand relevance!

Leaning Into Frame

In the past I have talked about business being careful in how it participates in the highly personal social media space of people. I am a big believer that you don't barge in and interrupt their online experiences if you want to build any sort of relevant long term relationship with them.

Well this clip via Mike Walsh and his agency Tomorrow provides an interview with New York Agency Anomaly about a concept they call Leaning Into Frame. In short Leaning Into Frame is recognising that "there are lots of interesting conversations going on in society at a point in time, and some of those conversations are appropriate for you (your business) to lean into."

I love the love subtle nature of the lean into frame mindset and the example they give of using the i-phone launch is perfect.

Mini Gets It Right, Very Right.

Every so often I come across an idea and creative execution of that idea, that is worth sharing. This time I applaud loudly the work mini has done in Sweden using an i-phone app to drive people to the mini Countryman car with the lure of winning a free mini Countryman.

How they get Awareness and Interest is to join the promotion is by creating a highly interactive game and pushing it via web and a viral network. They gain Desire by making the game of hunting for a FREE car using GPS technology simple and irresistible. They create Action (literally) by forcing players to down load the app and start running to find and avoid other players wanting to find and catch the virtual mini. This covers the AIDA model in one fell swoop.

Its simplicity is what makes it so powerful. This is technology being used relevantly to make a difference.

Enjoy the link to the video.

http://adsoftheworld.com/media/ambient/mini_getaway_stockholm

China to eat 20% of World's Energy by 2035.

A recent report from the International Energy Agency states that China will consume 20% of the world's energy demand by 2035. This is driven by a 75% jump in consumption from now until 2035. The question is how does Alberta and it's resource based technologies and services start, and in some cases, continue to approach this dominate market.

Many firms are afraid of China as it is too big and expensive. The flip side to this argument is that it is not going away, and it will be even tougher to get in and make a difference if business waits 10 years. So start to explore, find trusted counsel in Canada, make a few trips and see for yourself. The future in many ways is in dealing with China and the future is now.