Small Agency Diary

Agencies Should Nudge Clients Away From Spectacle

Increasingly Savvy Consumers Don't Want Branding; They Want Information

Posted by Andy Gould on 09.08.09 @ 11:23 AM

Andy Gould

By choice or by necessity, agencies large and small are rapidly evolving. But what are we evolving into?

In a nutshell, I'd say we're becoming more adept at the kind of marketing that helps consumers discover the real things companies and products do -- as opposed to advertising that just creates awareness or gets brands to "stand" for something.

Traditional Advertising Agencies Have Catching Up to Do In Digital Game

Strong In 'Advertising,' but Gaps Remain in Production, Apps, Mobile and Beyond

Posted by Andy Gould on 06.03.09 @ 11:35 AM

Andy Gould

OK, I'll admit it. As a digital agency, we aren't always in complete control of our own destiny. You can't really have an honest discussion about the future of the digital agency without also looking at the issues traditional shops are wrestling with. For better or worse, our fates are intertwined. That's because a good portion of what we do depends on what traditional agencies do -- or, more often -- what they don't do.

The Beauty of Being Small

When Does Being Big Become a Burden?

Posted by Andy Gould on 03.18.09 @ 11:19 AM

Andy Gould

"How big do we want to get?"

We were in the middle of a management meeting, talking about goals for the next three to five years, when our CEO popped the question above. To give you some context, we've achieved double-digit growth for a few years in a row, and this year looks like more of the same. Part of our recent success is due to becoming the right kind of agency (digital) at the right time (about five years ago). But we're also on a streak of sorts. Three months into '09, we've won two pitches for Fortune 500 clients, with a third pending. In the midst of a severe recession, we're still hiring. We just opened an office in Chicago. Today, Biggs Gilmore is 90 people, but what's the potential? 120? 150? 200-plus?

What Ever Happened to Two Guys in a Room?

Let Go of Your Ego; It Now Takes a Village to Raise a Campaign

Posted by Andy Gould on 01.16.09 @ 01:08 PM

Andy Gould

Ah, the "good old days" of traditional advertising. As a copywriter, I used to love the challenge of a new campaign brief or a new-business pitch. After the input meeting, it was just an art director and me for days -- sometimes weeks -- bouncing ideas off one another, trying to come up with an awesome campaign. It was a lot of responsibility for two knuckleheads (as most writers and art directors are).