when your agency wins in Cannes
When your agency wins in Cannes, please fire them.
I've tried to convince my friends and fellow colleagues of the advertising industry about how the business was changing and how one could react on that.
Well, I'm sorry to say... I failed.
At least, it's that what I was thinking when running around at the Salone del Mobile in Milan this year, where I obviously ran into a crowd of friends and people from the design industry, but apparently none from the advertising scene.
Has Milan turned into the center of branding? No, of course not. There are too many buyers and sellers and salesmen around that try to convince you of a new leather sofa.
But when you look beyond the dead cow covered sitting objects, you can see a parallel inspirational branding universe.
I admit: the abundance of chairs, tables and whatnot's is painful for the eye and the eco-friendly heart. Since who needs a new chair anyway? But when that chair comes with an added value, a story to tell, a function to add...
I realise I'm wandering through design heaven (or hell) with branded eyes, discovering gems of parasite branding and guerilla marketing tactics. Seeing inspiration for brands to get experiences across. That's why I can not understand that agencies are still choosing the Cannes beach in stead of the Zona Tortona.
Next time when your agency wins in Cannes, please fire them.
Don't get me wrong. They have proven their added value and we should honour them for that. On the advertising industry's funeral, we should speak with respect. The skills of the industry should be passed on by parent on child, and occasionally exhibited in museums over the world.
But a brand needs all senses to become a brand. In view of sustainable change, brand innovation and a holistic brand approach, you, dear marketer and/or CEO of a company, should look at other resources.
In fact, when using any creative resource for any project for your company, it should always be used with the bigger picture in view. This turns the advertising industry into craftsmanship and skills, and leaves a big space for true strategic and holistic brand consultancy, using a model of genuine collaboration, out of the box thinking and respect for the brand's surrounding environment.
I can be wrong and all the intelligent people in the advertising industry can still be right. In fact, I received yet another email from a big budget brand just now 'that we might be looking at a test project in 2010'. So when looking at what I earn today as compared to what I did when in advertising, I'm completely wrong.
Apparently it's waiting for the recession and it's fall-out to have companies realising the need for change. And if that doesn't do the trick, consumer behaviour will.
I hope I won't be painting sunsets in Namibia, by then.
