Comments on: Agency ‘evolution’ or wake up call? http://www.valleyprblog.com/marketing/agency-evolution-or-wake-up-call/ A (dry heated) group blog from Phoenix, Arizona on public relations, marketing and social media Mon, 22 Aug 2011 21:48:29 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Jon Ford http://www.valleyprblog.com/marketing/agency-evolution-or-wake-up-call/comment-page-1/#comment-183 Jon Ford Tue, 10 Apr 2007 16:42:23 +0000 http://www.zeek.com/valleyprblog/?p=157#comment-183 This problem has been pulling at agencies and advertisers for the entire time that I've been involved. 20 years ago, the question was a lot simpler, as in "how do we integrate direct and general advertising." Then came the first wave of network TV erosion and the rise of promotion marketing. Of course now we have an avalanche of disruption and data to go with a chorus of target audience comment and media participation. I participated in trying to create "unagencies" from within agency structures, most notablly in 1993 with FCB and again in 1999 with Publicis/Frankel. Some of those unagencies never got out of development. Others thrived for a number of years. Eventually they all became threats to status quo. As harbingers of scary change, they were rationalized or dealt away. Ironically, many died in the name of "focusing on our core competency." (Which is what? Churning out advertising product that fails to more completely attract and engage its audience?) My advice to advertisers is to go back to their own roots to seize the opportunity. If I were Nike, I'd handpick the best and the brightest potential "unagency" talents, and start small, funding the effort 100% but keeping the unagency out-of-house. I see the opportunity as similar to when soap opera programming was created. Soaps created new audience relationships that perfectly fit the lifestyle, communications opportunities and product/service/conversational needs of the audience. Advertisers: it is time to do it again for the 21st century. This problem has been pulling at agencies and advertisers for the entire time that I’ve been involved. 20 years ago, the question was a lot simpler, as in “how do we integrate direct and general advertising.” Then came the first wave of network TV erosion and the rise of promotion marketing. Of course now we have an avalanche of disruption and data to go with a chorus of target audience comment and media participation.

I participated in trying to create “unagencies” from within agency structures, most notablly in 1993 with FCB and again in 1999 with Publicis/Frankel. Some of those unagencies never got out of development. Others thrived for a number of years. Eventually they all became threats to status quo. As harbingers of scary change, they were rationalized or dealt away. Ironically, many died in the name of “focusing on our core competency.” (Which is what? Churning out advertising product that fails to more completely attract and engage its audience?)

My advice to advertisers is to go back to their own roots to seize the opportunity. If I were Nike, I’d handpick the best and the brightest potential “unagency” talents, and start small, funding the effort 100% but keeping the unagency out-of-house. I see the opportunity as similar to when soap opera programming was created. Soaps created new audience relationships that perfectly fit the lifestyle, communications opportunities and product/service/conversational needs of the audience. Advertisers: it is time to do it again for the 21st century.

]]> By: Angelo Fernando http://www.valleyprblog.com/marketing/agency-evolution-or-wake-up-call/comment-page-1/#comment-181 Angelo Fernando Sun, 01 Apr 2007 14:18:54 +0000 http://www.zeek.com/valleyprblog/?p=157#comment-181 Ian's point is valid. That our roles muct match up to evolving consumer behavior. The lack of creativity' that he mentions is not because there are inadequate creative minds within the walls of the company, but these minds are not tapped/challenged at the right time. Ian’s point is valid. That our roles muct match up to evolving consumer behavior. The lack of creativity’ that he mentions is not because there are inadequate creative minds within the walls of the company, but these minds are not tapped/challenged at the right time.

]]> By: Ian Schafer » Blog Archive » The Evolution of the Ad Agency http://www.valleyprblog.com/marketing/agency-evolution-or-wake-up-call/comment-page-1/#comment-182 Ian Schafer » Blog Archive » The Evolution of the Ad Agency Sat, 31 Mar 2007 17:43:41 +0000 http://www.zeek.com/valleyprblog/?p=157#comment-182 [...] over at Valley PR Blog writes (via JaffeJuice) that agencies are too siloed, with traditional titles of “copywriter” [...] [...] over at Valley PR Blog writes (via JaffeJuice) that agencies are too siloed, with traditional titles of “copywriter” [...]

]]>