The Fueling New Business Through Social Media workshop was one of the most productive we have had in terms of new information. Not only great ideas, but a great way to generate new business with the analytics to measure and adjust agency activities that should bring success.
Only if you have the discipline. It's been my observation that few agencies have that discipline.
But then I should talk...considering my discipline as a blogger.
Michael Gass is a Gas!
With as much exposure as I have had over the years with advertising agencies, the 4A's (and remember, I was one!), Michael Gass' take on how to build new business through social media is one of the most practical programs I have ever encountered. Ever.
As I sit through his "Fueling New Business through Social Media" workshop, I am once again struck by the "cobbler's son has no shoes" syndrome of the advertising agency business.
It's refreshing to see that there is a way for agencies to build their new business "touches" beyond the usual cold calls.
(More to come, but now I want to pay attention.)
As I sit through his "Fueling New Business through Social Media" workshop, I am once again struck by the "cobbler's son has no shoes" syndrome of the advertising agency business.
It's refreshing to see that there is a way for agencies to build their new business "touches" beyond the usual cold calls.
(More to come, but now I want to pay attention.)
Too Many Agencies?
I hate to admit this, but I think Brian Sheehan, associate professor at Syracuse University's S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, is spot-on. There just may be too much competition for the available dollars. The net effect being that it is exponentially driving down margins, limiting volume (the number of projects or accounts), so that the business has become commoditized.
Years ago I attempted, within my realm of contacts and influence, to make the case for commoditization, without really much impact. I stand vindicated? Unfortunately.
Read Sheehan's article for yourself. Comments?
http://adage.coverleaf.com/advertisingage/20100426?pg=50#pg50
Years ago I attempted, within my realm of contacts and influence, to make the case for commoditization, without really much impact. I stand vindicated? Unfortunately.
Read Sheehan's article for yourself. Comments?
http://adage.coverleaf.com/advertisingage/20100426?pg=50#pg50
Recession/Depression? Get Real.
USA TODAY had a e-article about how marketers are using ads to remind customers of their longevity.
A quote in the article from a brand consultant, set me off. The article said, and I quote the expert: ... touting still being in business smacks of desperation. "(The) consumer has been brought up now in a fast-moving age. People are looking for things that are up to date. There's no good way to say, 'We've been doing this for 150 years.' Heritage is fine, but people are not buying Coach because it is old."
On top of that, viewer's comments about the article ranged from flippancy ... "Of course there are always comic books and movies to demo(n)strate your longevity"... to rants..."What ALLSTATE should be saying is that you are in "good hands" AS LONG AS YOU DO NOT HAVE A LEGITIMATE CLAIM."
A Time For Confidence Building
In a time when a rampant lack of confidence permeates our daily living, it can be reassuring to know that there were some companies that did survive the tough times of the Great Depression.
I think Allstate's ads really hit home. Perhaps it is because, having been born in 1941, I experienced first-hand how the Great Depression and World War II forced frugality into the psyche of my parents and grandparents. And then I experienced, as well, the fast climb out inpost-war America.
The survivors of the Great Depression were indelibly affected by those times, opting to sacrifice many things so their children and grandchildren could have more than they did.
As I view today's economic crisis, it is patently clear that we are no where near the suffering experienced during Depression times. Without denigrating the pain many are going through at this time, it is still most telling to see on TV news the picture of a young man in a "soup kitchen" taking a picture of Michelle Obama with his cell phone. How does he afford a cell phone?
Let's get real.
A quote in the article from a brand consultant, set me off. The article said, and I quote the expert: ... touting still being in business smacks of desperation. "(The) consumer has been brought up now in a fast-moving age. People are looking for things that are up to date. There's no good way to say, 'We've been doing this for 150 years.' Heritage is fine, but people are not buying Coach because it is old."
On top of that, viewer's comments about the article ranged from flippancy ... "Of course there are always comic books and movies to demo(n)strate your longevity"... to rants..."What ALLSTATE should be saying is that you are in "good hands" AS LONG AS YOU DO NOT HAVE A LEGITIMATE CLAIM."
A Time For Confidence Building
In a time when a rampant lack of confidence permeates our daily living, it can be reassuring to know that there were some companies that did survive the tough times of the Great Depression.
I think Allstate's ads really hit home. Perhaps it is because, having been born in 1941, I experienced first-hand how the Great Depression and World War II forced frugality into the psyche of my parents and grandparents. And then I experienced, as well, the fast climb out inpost-war America.The survivors of the Great Depression were indelibly affected by those times, opting to sacrifice many things so their children and grandchildren could have more than they did.
As I view today's economic crisis, it is patently clear that we are no where near the suffering experienced during Depression times. Without denigrating the pain many are going through at this time, it is still most telling to see on TV news the picture of a young man in a "soup kitchen" taking a picture of Michelle Obama with his cell phone. How does he afford a cell phone?
Let's get real.
What Will Happen Now?
What will happen now?
I’m mentally exhausted by the election.
The drone of endless commercials, Internet accusations, polling phone calls, media surveys, yard signs, billboards, mailings, the incessant bias of television news and so-called entertainment programs, comedians cum-political analysts, talk radio.
I have, at this time, only two world-view views.
1. It’s time to suck it up and be Americans again. Not partisans. Not Democrat. Not Republican. Americans. Americans who don’t spout venomous hatred like that spewed for eight years because of some perceived hanging chads, but good ol’ Americans who rally ‘round the new president to make sure we remain the finest nation in the world. Loyal until proven incompetent.
2. In this economic crisis, marketers need to get their act together by changing their act. What worked yesterday doesn’t work today. Confidence is now the product and service. Confidence in the day. Confidence in our capitalistic system. Confidence in our ability to rise above the patent greed of the financial system. Confidence that well-intentioned Americans will, once again, rise to the occasion to build a better day.
What will happen now? Only the inimitable American spirit, innovation and ingenuity will tell. Do we still have it?
I’m mentally exhausted by the election.
The drone of endless commercials, Internet accusations, polling phone calls, media surveys, yard signs, billboards, mailings, the incessant bias of television news and so-called entertainment programs, comedians cum-political analysts, talk radio.
I have, at this time, only two world-view views.
1. It’s time to suck it up and be Americans again. Not partisans. Not Democrat. Not Republican. Americans. Americans who don’t spout venomous hatred like that spewed for eight years because of some perceived hanging chads, but good ol’ Americans who rally ‘round the new president to make sure we remain the finest nation in the world. Loyal until proven incompetent.
2. In this economic crisis, marketers need to get their act together by changing their act. What worked yesterday doesn’t work today. Confidence is now the product and service. Confidence in the day. Confidence in our capitalistic system. Confidence in our ability to rise above the patent greed of the financial system. Confidence that well-intentioned Americans will, once again, rise to the occasion to build a better day.
What will happen now? Only the inimitable American spirit, innovation and ingenuity will tell. Do we still have it?
GLUT BLOCK
I was pointedly forewarned that writing a blog requires a tremendous time commitment and discipline. Admittedly I have the first one and less of the latter. Discipline has never been my strong suit. Perseverance yes. Discipline no.
This bit of introspection notwithstanding, lack of discipline is not totally what has kept me from posting to the blog since June. The real bane of my reticence is that there is so much to write about. I have caught a case of “glut block.”
“Growing Pains” (GP) mostly is about the marketing/advertising world. Something I know a lot about. Trouble is a glut of change is gripping the marketing world. It’s getting difficult to decipher the hype and the mixed messages of a world moving at warp speed so as to deliver a cogent commentary. There’s just too much to talk about.
In my file I have started 18 different blog postings. I counted them. Almost all are observations in one way or another that mark a rudderless marketing ship tossed by the seas of change, the winds of new media fads and technology navigation mistakes. The marketing world has…well…jumped ship.
In not so future postings, I will get back into the swim of things (OK…I’ll stop trying to be puny) with observations that hopefully will spur you to dialogue on (here we go again) the state of the marketing ships of state.’’
Now I've got to get a gut check on my glut block.
I’m outa here …until next time.
This bit of introspection notwithstanding, lack of discipline is not totally what has kept me from posting to the blog since June. The real bane of my reticence is that there is so much to write about. I have caught a case of “glut block.”
“Growing Pains” (GP) mostly is about the marketing/advertising world. Something I know a lot about. Trouble is a glut of change is gripping the marketing world. It’s getting difficult to decipher the hype and the mixed messages of a world moving at warp speed so as to deliver a cogent commentary. There’s just too much to talk about.
In my file I have started 18 different blog postings. I counted them. Almost all are observations in one way or another that mark a rudderless marketing ship tossed by the seas of change, the winds of new media fads and technology navigation mistakes. The marketing world has…well…jumped ship.
In not so future postings, I will get back into the swim of things (OK…I’ll stop trying to be puny) with observations that hopefully will spur you to dialogue on (here we go again) the state of the marketing ships of state.’’
Now I've got to get a gut check on my glut block.
I’m outa here …until next time.
On Account Of ...
Ad agency account people are in crisis. And they may not know it. And neither does their management.
On account of...many advertising agencies don’t have any particular philosophy for handling their accounts; a way of doing things. More importantly, helping young, inexperienced account people in the ways of building relationships.
On account of...voice mail and email, the personality and person-ability of the account/client relationships has been lost. Or certainly lessened.
On account of...many advertising agencies allow the client’s needs and demands to set the standards for behavior, performance and respect.
On account of...an account executive’s role on one account lacks similarities and cohesiveness to another account person’s role on another agency account. When did we take the "cross" out of cross training?
On account of...account executives in “creative” shops are mere delivery people and in account planning centric shops, the same…or less.
On account of...client service directors at agencies are “fire extinguishers” putting out potential client firings instead of leading and guiding their account people.
On account of...the business has changed so dramatically over a few short years that one can find a full range of shadings and meanings on what account service is all about.
And so, as agencies are commoditized, the once indispensable account person has become expendable.
Or is he/she needed more now than ever?
On account of...many advertising agencies don’t have any particular philosophy for handling their accounts; a way of doing things. More importantly, helping young, inexperienced account people in the ways of building relationships.
On account of...voice mail and email, the personality and person-ability of the account/client relationships has been lost. Or certainly lessened.
On account of...many advertising agencies allow the client’s needs and demands to set the standards for behavior, performance and respect.
On account of...an account executive’s role on one account lacks similarities and cohesiveness to another account person’s role on another agency account. When did we take the "cross" out of cross training?
On account of...account executives in “creative” shops are mere delivery people and in account planning centric shops, the same…or less.
On account of...client service directors at agencies are “fire extinguishers” putting out potential client firings instead of leading and guiding their account people.
On account of...the business has changed so dramatically over a few short years that one can find a full range of shadings and meanings on what account service is all about.
And so, as agencies are commoditized, the once indispensable account person has become expendable.
Or is he/she needed more now than ever?
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