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simon
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2 months ago
in Op-Ed: The Trolls Of Madison Avenue By Alan Wolk - mediabistro.com: AgencySpy on mediabistro.com: AgencySpy
Jeffrey Dachis, Dave Armano and Peter Kim present a pretty formidable offering. I'm not surprised that sort of combination puts the willies up an already neurotic industry.
Ad agencies have for a long time exhibited an unfortunate tendency, a bit like the aristocracy when confronted with a rising middle class, to confront threats to the status quo with haughty disdain. The age-old designation of above- and below-the-line being perhaps the first of many attempts to portray any other communications discipline as mere 'trade'.
Ad agencies have for a long time exhibited an unfortunate tendency, a bit like the aristocracy when confronted with a rising middle class, to confront threats to the status quo with haughty disdain. The age-old designation of above- and below-the-line being perhaps the first of many attempts to portray any other communications discipline as mere 'trade'.
1 reply
5 months ago
in Newspapers: Evolution or catastrophe? on Mathew's comments
Back in 1960 when marketing was the new big thing, Theodore Levitt wrote his classic piece in HBR: "Marketing Myopia". In it he used the example of the decline of the railroads and their failure to realise they are in the transportation business not the business of railroads.
The fixation on the "death of newspapers" represents a similarly myopic view. As long as newspaper organizations focus on defending their newspapers rather than defining their real business, they are doomed to be replaced by those that do.
Not suggesting it's easy or simple. Nonetheless, it's the critical issue to those companies' survival.
The fixation on the "death of newspapers" represents a similarly myopic view. As long as newspaper organizations focus on defending their newspapers rather than defining their real business, they are doomed to be replaced by those that do.
Not suggesting it's easy or simple. Nonetheless, it's the critical issue to those companies' survival.
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mathewi
I couldn't agree more -- the focus on the "paper" part of the equation
is no different than the railways' focus on the "rail" part of their
business. There are other similarities as well -- high fixed costs for
infrastructure, for example :-)
is no different than the railways' focus on the "rail" part of their
business. There are other similarities as well -- high fixed costs for
infrastructure, for example :-)
1 year ago
in Russell Smith: Web-bashing 101 on Mathew's comments
Generalizing about the content or quality of blogs is about as germane as generalizing about the quality of prose written in Microsoft Word.
As Scott Karp repeatedly points out, blog software is simply a content management system. The content is as useful or relevant as the author is capable or informed.
As Scott Karp repeatedly points out, blog software is simply a content management system. The content is as useful or relevant as the author is capable or informed.
2 replies
Seth Finkelstein
I should make a FAQ. This one is "The MSM shouldn't generalize about blogs"
1 year ago
in I hate to say it, but he has a point on Mathew's comments
Read, hear or watch anything in the traditional media about your own field and it's invariably shallow, misleading and horribly ill-informed. Which is terrifying when you apply that principle to the serious news and "analysis" which inform much of our worldview.
1 reply
mathewi
I agree Simon. And while I think it's important that people become
more skeptical of any form of media -- traditional or otherwise -- and
find different sources in order to make up their own mind, I'm often
afraid that people either don't have the time or can't be bothered.
more skeptical of any form of media -- traditional or otherwise -- and
find different sources in order to make up their own mind, I'm often
afraid that people either don't have the time or can't be bothered.
This is not the nfl, or sports where you have to prove your ability on a daily basis. CDs and ECDs can hide their stupidity for decades and still take the credit for work they had no part of. Most dont even know what flash,twitter or any new technology, they just show up to meetings with the same lame ass ideas, but youll see them getting awards from their "peers" when award season rolls around. If you dont do the work, dont put your name on it, and if u suck and ur a CD,ACD or ECD you should be fired. But thats not the way it works in advertising.
The clique structure is so prevelant too. Look at twitter, look on facebook, the same people that create the awards, judge the awards are all friends. Its all a game of musical chairs, and kissing ass too. If your in their inner circle you dont even need a resume. In the past people would stay at agencies for years. Now you will be lucky to see a creative settle down at a agency for more than 2 years.
The worst part of the industry is the failure in diversity. Especially when it comes to african americans and minorities in general. Why the hell do we need "diversity officers" and "diversity fairs". Just hire talented people of color. How can advertising agencies serve a diverse world if their agencies arent diverse. Im dying to hear someone other than a minority speak up. Stop blaming blacks/minorities for the biggest problem in advertising. The industry needs to look in the damn mirror, for a change. I know its easy to say "im not racist, i dont hate blacks". But what are people doing to fix the problem, why keep silent.
The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil but because of those who do nothing. --Albert Einstein.