Some thoughts on the 'integrated ad agency vs specalist digital shop' arguement

This question keeps coming up again and again and I don’t think it will ever be definitively answered… or more to the point, I’m doubting the point of asking it.

I’ve worked on both sides of the agency divide (specialist digital shop and integrated ad agency), and have to say that both models are equally capable of delivering involving, integrated and entertaining communications platforms, as they are of churning out streams of non-engaging garbage.

What it comes down to is the people. Just as we talk to our clients about enhancing demographic/media spreadsheet-based views of customers with more human understanding and interaction (via technology), shouldn’t we also realise that the ‘agencographic’ approach is never going to provide the answer?

For me it’s all about finding people who understand the space and can grasp the big picture vision of “why we’re doing this” (they could be agency or client side), and have them lead the work on the overall plan of platforms, channels, inputs, outputs, metrics, etc. Once this is in place it’s just about accessing what capabilities you currently have (current agencies, internal tech, etc), how you get the ones you don’t (specialist shops, outsource, etc) and getting good planning, production and data people to pull the bits together and keep it on track. Who cares if they’re at a specialist shop, an ad agency, or internal?

As the space expands and becomes more human in every possible way, I think to be successful we’re going to have to spend more time on the humans we work with to ensure we’re all acting like the same ‘brand person’.

If I was a client, I wouldn’t ask what ‘sort’ of agency I had (until it came to how my execution/production $ was going to be spent), I’d be asking to see people with understanding and passion for the space who can play really well with anyone else, including me.

Newsflash! Marketers Want Knowledgeable Agencies!

Although somewhat obvious and nothing unpredictable, its good to be reminded of the basics. Here is a top ten list for agencies of the future thanks to Sapient and AdRants, including some sarcastic commentary from our friends at Adrants:

1. Greater knowledge of the digital space. (Seriously? That's a stunner!)
2. More use of "pull interactions." (Oh yes they did. They created a new buzzword for social media)
3. Leverage virtual communities. (Apparently, none of the surveyed CMO lived through the Second Life debacle)
4. Agency executives using the technology they are recommending. (It would certainly be nice but, in most cases, it's never gonna happen. By definition, most senior management is disconnected from reality.)
5. Chief Digital Officers make agencies more appealing. (CDO? Seriously? Did they just create yet another CxO title?)
6. Web 2.0 and social media savvy. (See number five.)
7. Agencies that understand consumer behavior. (Um, yea. Like this is a new one. Not that all agencies deliver on this but this is supposed to be some new quality for agencies of the future?)
8. Demonstrate strategic thinking. ( A survey was needed to determine this finding?)
9. Branding and creative capabilities. (See number eight.)
10. Ability to measure success. (Well, duh! Of course, it's well known most agencies do not deliver will on this one.)

For the full article:
http://www.adrants.com/2008/09/newsflash-marketers-want-knowledgeable.php

Using QR codes to check food safety in store

Ever wonder how where your Dairy Farmers milk really comes from? In Japan, QR codes affixed to produce allow the curious shopper to check everything from a fruit or vegetable’s farm of origin to the soil composition it was grown in. Thanks to NGT and psfk for this post.

Homegrown Evolution points us to an interesting adaptation of QR bar codes in Japan. Bar codes are being affixed to produce that give a detailed history of the item’s origin. When scanned with a QR enabled cell phone, the code will tell the story of the fruits and veggies - where they came from, and how they were grown.

Wireless Watch Japan reports:

“Prefectural authorities and the JA Ibaraki Prefecture Central Union of Agricultural Cooperative cooperating with other farming and agricultural associations are adding QR code labels right at the point of origin. In the supermarket, consumers use camera equipped cell phones to scan the QR code on the label. The code links to a mobile website detailing origin, soil composition, organic fertilizer content percentage (as opposed to chemical), use of pesticides and herbicides and even the name of the farm it was grown on. Consumers can also access the same information over the Ibaraki Agricultural Produce Net website by inputting a numbered code on each label.”

How to create a culture of high performance

Thanks to Rob for finding this article from Accenture. Some thoughts include:

1. Maintaining the right balance between market-making and disciplined execution

2. Obsessively identifying and multiplying talent

3. Using a selective scorecard to measure business performance

4. Recognising technology as a strategic asset

5. Emphasizing continuous renewal

For the full article visit:

http://www.accenture.com/NR/rdonlyres/3F0FC8D5-0029-4AA9-A0B3-5F5508F97ECE/0/OutlookPDF_Jan07_Leadership_02.pdf

If your clients want to send do-not-reply emails...

Don't let them send it! This post by Seth Godin talks about the wasted opportunity and aggravation caused by companies requesting recipients 'do not reply' to the email just sent. If it's important enough to send, surely it's important enough to acknowledge and respond to emails about it. You can create a reply-to email that may go to a group of people who can respond to it. One thing he doesn't mention however, is if your client sends out an email that could elicit responses, to put on adequate numbers of (temporary) staff to handle the influx.