Phil Johnson

Phil Johnson I don't know how many examples it takes to define a trend, but two recent Ad Age stories about public-relations firms point to a notable shift in the advertising landscape. "Edelman Moves Into Paid Space" announces that the public-relations firm will focus on the integration of paid media with social-media programs. Another he...

Phil Johnson We all know the stereotype. Agency leaders focus on the big-picture stuff: strategy, financial planning, negotiations, salesmanship, creative decisions and really important lunches. Who can fault them if they're not on top of all the day-to-day details? While the myth may be that presidents and CEOs operate at the highest level,...

Phil Johnson Some of the most creative work that an agency does takes place when people get together and start talking about what happened after a big pitch. "They loved us." "I noticed a lot of buy signs." "The CMO said 'good job' in the bathroom." We scrutinize every word and gesture for a sign that we've won, or lost. Eventually, you realize...

Phil Johnson Last spring, I made fun of "The Pitch" and criticized the show for portraying an outdated business model. (In case you just joined the advertising community, "The Pitch" is an AMC reality show in which two agencies compete to win a project from a client. And it will be back for season two in 2013.) A couple of develo...

Phil Johnson Sometimes you get lucky and get to go back in time and see your own past from a different angle. That's how I felt when I recently visited a start-up social-media agency with a staff of 10, to discuss potential partnerships. I felt nostalgic for the exhilaration of trying to get an agency launched, and I was really interested in...