Small Agency Diary

Marketers Exhibit Cad-Like Behavior at the RFP Ball

We're Not Asking to Get Married, but Some Basic Respect Would Be Nice

Posted by Jennifer Modarelli on 02.09.10 @ 01:20 PM

Jennifer Modarelli

Have you been busy digging your way through the annual year-end/Q1 barrage of RFPs? A large volume of requests for proposals on the market is a good thing, of course, and we love responding to the ones that are qualified and aligned to our services. As you know, the RFP gauntlet can be a great source of new business, a chance for more team members to pitch in on pitching, and even a chance to dream up all the things you wish you could do for your existing clients. And who doesn't love a little healthy competition? I believe that deep down inside of us, agencies enjoy going head to head.

Lately, though, I have noticed four rather disturbing trends in the RFP process. Do these sound familiar?

The Absolute Best Super Bowl XLIV Ad

It Wasn't What I Expected It Would Be

Posted by Phil Johnson on 02.08.10 @ 04:14 PM

Phil Johnson

It was like a breath of fresh air. It was like walking out of a noisy party into a peaceful spring night. It was remarkably striking in its simplicity. It put the furry animals in perspective. It made all the digital wizardry disappear into the background. It put my consumer exuberance on pause for a brief moment. I actually put down my beer, wiped the grease from the chicken wings off my hands, and picked up my phone. I'm talking about the public service message that flashed across the screen: "Text 'HAITI' to 90999 to donate $10 to American Red Cross relief for Haiti." That was the best ad.

Does a Small Agency Need a Creative Director With a Super Bowl Mentality?

Why We Invest in Talent That Can Execute in any Platform

Posted by Marc Brownstein on 02.08.10 @ 01:55 PM

Marc Brownstein

As I watched the (sometimes hysterical, sometimes embarrassingly awful) Super Bowl commercials, flashes of my days as a copywriter at Ogilvy & Mather came into my head. Back then, the competition to create -- and have the client approve -- your 30-second commercial that would run on the Super Bowl was fierce, and considered the pinnacle achievement. And I'll admit, it was so much fun.

But now that I own my own shop, in a different era, I watched last night's Super Bowl spots and thought, "What kind of creative talent does a small agency need in 2010?" Does a shop like Brownstein Group need the same kind of creative leadership as a shop like Ogilvy? The short answer is yes. But the reality may be quite different.

Super Bowl Commercials Going the Way of the Dodo

Good Ad Ideas Increasingly Rare in Game

Posted by Bart Cleveland on 02.08.10 @ 12:38 PM

Bart Cleveland

There was much debate on whether Pepsi made the right choice not to participate in the Super Bowl commercial spectacle. Ironically, most of those who bought commercials didn't participate either. No one wants to do a great commercial for the Super Bowl anymore. It looks like we're just out of ideas. But if the future Super Bowl commercials are like what we had this year, the hype is over.

Why Animals Speak in Super Bowl Ads

How Rating Systems Have Ruined the Creative

Posted by Tom Denari on 02.04.10 @ 02:57 PM

Tom Denari

Over the years, the Super Bowl ads have become quite a paradox for ad agencies, and they probably haven't even realized it.

Here it is:

Ad agencies love having an ad appear in the Super Bowl.

Ad agencies hate submitting their work to a focus group.

The IAgency: How the IPad Will Change the Advertising Business

Or: Why We Should Emulate the Dying Publishing Industry

Posted by Phil Johnson on 02.03.10 @ 11:37 AM

Phil Johnson

For a while, I've been arguing that advertising agencies can learn a lot from the publishing industry about the creation of content, skills they will need if they want to provide more than traditional advertising services. When I made this point in a presentation recently, someone immediately asked why anyone would want to emulate a dying business. My answer was that, even though publishers may be suffering, they know how to create a steady stream of content and distribute it to consumers better than anybody else. They're just struggling with how to make money from all the digital channels.

What a difference a week makes. With Apple's announcement of the iPad last Wednesday, publishers may have just gotten a reprieve from their death sentence, and agencies may have just been handed a convenient way to get into the content business.

Dear Local News, Don't Blame Jay Leno

Differentiate Your Product First, Then Market It

Posted by Tom Denari on 02.02.10 @ 11:18 AM

Tom Denari

Remember that season of "Dallas" back in the '80s that ended up being written off as a bad dream so that Patrick Duffy could get back on the show?

Well, consider Jay Leno at 10 p.m. to be TV's latest bad dream. Not for Jay, who will get to go back to his old time slot. Not for NBC, who claims Leno at 10 p.m. garnered the ratings it expected. And, certainly not Conan O'Brien, who walked away with about $35 million.

Beer and Barbecue: A Few Tips for Newbies Attending SXSW

You Can Mine It for New Business With the Right Approach

Posted by Darryl Ohrt on 02.01.10 @ 11:17 AM

Darryl Ohrt

A friend just reminded me that SXSW is only weeks away. The interactive portion of this conference has become the global mega meet-up for anyone in the digital creative business, and for the third year, our agency will be attending. SXSW veterans might say this gets us just beyond the "newb" status.

Shifting Your Ad Agency to a Project World

Follow These Four Steps and You Will Thrive

Posted by Marc Brownstein on 01.28.10 @ 01:43 PM

Marc Brownstein

Another example of how our industry has evolved: My agency has integrated disciplines -- digital, PR, brand strategy and traditional advertising. Ten years ago, 95% of our fees were monthly retainer fees. Today, it's 50%. To those of you who also own an integrated shop, this stat comes as no surprise. To those of you who don't -- or who are surprised -- here's what's going on.

Become a (Corporate) Culture King

A Meaningful Environment Is Crucial to Producing Soulful Work

Posted by Peter Madden on 01.27.10 @ 10:08 PM

Peter Madden

As AgileCat enters its 10th year, I can look back with few regrets. But if I had to pick one, it's that I didn't put enough effort into making the culture extraordinary. Since the beginning of 2010, my focus has been wholly on our culture, and I can feel the positive results already.