The iPhone will Fail... NOT!

In a recent article by Al Ries, published in Ad Age entitled “Why the iPhone Will Fail,” Mr. Ries stated the following:

“When Apple introduces its iPhone this month, will it pass the acid test?
In my opinion, no.

Prediction No. 1: The iPhone will be a major disappointment. The hype has been enormous. Apple says its iPhone is "literally five years ahead of any other mobile phone." A stock-market analyst says, "The iPhone has the potential to be even bigger than the iPod." I think not. An iPod is a divergence device; an iPhone is a convergence device. There's a big difference between the two. In the high-tech world, divergence devices have been spectacular successes. But convergence devices, for the most part, have been spectacular failures. The first MP3 players (the Diamond Rio, for example) were flash-memory units capable of holding only 20 or 30 songs. The first iPod, on the other hand, had a hard drive and could hold thousands of songs. Now there were two types of MP3 players, a classic example of divergence at work. Every high-tech device has followed a similar pattern. The first computer was a mainframe computer, followed by the minicomputer, the desktop computer, the laptop computer, the handheld computer, the server and other specialty computers. The computer didn't converge with another device. It diverged. When the cellphone was first introduced, it was called a "car phone" because it was too big and heavy to lug around. You might have thought it would eventually converge with the automobile. It did not. Instead it diverged and today we have many types of cellphones. Every Best Buy and Circuit City is filled with a host of other divergence devices that have been enormously successful: the digital camera, the plasma TV, the wireless e-mail device, the personal video recorder, the GPS navigation device. What convergence device has been a big success? Not many, although there have been a lot of convergence failures.”

I could not disagree more!

I understand that the best predictor for the future is the past. However, you cannot ignore the changing landscape and expect that history will continue to be repeated when consumer needs have changed.

It is this very ignorance that is plaguing the entire advertising industry – predominantly on the consultant and agency side. Repeatedly, I see so called experts reverting to old ways because they clearly do not understand today’s technology and therefore tomorrow’s consumer.
Media consumption habits have changed. It is time that you stop preaching the ways of the past and start reading up on your clients’ consumers – they have changed and want convergence.
Of course, I agree that execution is key, but it is not convergence that will fail.

The true problem is that many organizations are so anxious to stay a technological step ahead of competition, that they ignore consumer need. Convergence has failed in the instances that you listed because the consumer was not ready – need was not evident in the consumers’ mind.
As technology continues to change the habits of media consumption, consumer needs will aggressively begin to demand more and more convergence in order to obtain access to information on their own terms.

Convergence will succeed if it is based on meeting a need – not just selling widgets.

Predictive Ad Targeting is Not New.

In a recent Online Spin, the following was written by Dave Morgan:

"What do I think is next? Predictive targeting.
What's that? Predictive is one step closer to the Holy Grail of delivering the right ad to the right person at the right time in the right place. It is about truly understanding enough about the consumer's state of mind at a moment within a particular media or marketing environment to be able to predict what he or she likely needs, wants or desires -- and being able to satisfy or advance that need, want or desire with a commercial message.

It has two components. First, you need to predict the future. You need to predict what consumers likely need, want or desire. Second, you need to have a way to change that future, even if it is only to reinforce and insure that what is likely to happen actually does happen. You need to understand what type of commercial message can make the desired future most likely to occur. How do you do that?"

Well, here is what I think...

We have been doing this for many years, not just a few. Moreover, this is not a new idea. The difference is that we can now know with more certainty than ever before. Data is a beautiful thing and allows us to target and plan with more efficiency. However, it is a double-edged sword. The thing we have learned with social media is that consumers can often be very unpredictable, no matter the amount of data we collect on them. At best, we can predict with statistical certainty.

We are definitely closer than ever before, but those of us that take the ideas and make the promises to clients must be sure to under promise and over deliver.
Predictive advertising is lifestyle marketing on data-roids. Not new, just improved.

Tips for Working for an Ad Agency

Large or small, ad agencies can offer a lot of great experience. However, that being said they can also be some of the most aggravating places to work. They can be very intriguing, so it is not hard for them to get a pile of resumes to choose from. If you are looking to work for an ad agency, or maybe you are thinking about leaving your agency to work for another, here are a few tips to consider.

In my opinion, non-compete contacts have gotten a bit out of hand, so it is important to take a deep breath before you sign and consider negotiating what you are about to sign. Of course it should be said that these are my opinions and I am not a lawyer. These are a few things to ask for:

Ask that the geographic reach for the non-compete be less than 30 miles. This is a reasonable amount. Honestly in today’s world geography is really not an issue. Companies can go global with the click of a button, but many agencies are lagging in their tech awareness and still want to enforce a 50-60 mile radius for the non-compete. If they won’t negotiate, you may want to reconsider the offer.

Non-competes can be very general in defining the ad agencies market. It is important that they define what it is that they consider their market to be (i.e. are they focusing on small business, medium or large companies; do they build Web sites; can they design software; are their niche industries they work within; are they business to business or business to consumer?

This can help you have a wider selection of groups to work for after your departure. This is because if you want to work for an agency whose market is definably different than that of your former agency, you are just fine working for the “competition”.

If they just say “advertising and marketing” as their market, that is not good enough.
Ask that the non-compete not go into effect for 120 days from your start date. This will give you enough time to determine if the company is a fit. Turnover is very, very high in the agency world and you don’t want to be pigeon-holed as soon as you step foot into your new job.

Ask that your role be defined, and in writing. This is really for any job. Make sure you know what your role will be before you start the job.

Get your bonus structure in writing. This also includes how long they hold your bonus; if the structure is different based on type of project; and etc.

Ask what their creative process is. Why is this important? Because if you are a creative person with great ideas, the last thing you want is to be cut out of the creative process and just delegated work rather than being involved in the process. Trust me, your creative spirit will be crushed and you will be totally bored with the work, so address it up front.

Ask to see their portfolio of work. This will give you an idea of what their design, copy and other abilities include. I could have kicked myself for not doing this in the past. I have gone to work for an agency whose work was so bad that I vomited in my mouth a little once I realized who I was working for – totally no understanding of white space, horrible copy, Web sites that were like brochures, etc… Learn from my mistakes!

Ok, so maybe you are already stuck in a non-compete and feel like you are chained to your desk, well here are some resources.

Great resource!
http://www.breakyournoncompete.com/

General Non Compete Info
http://employeeissues.com/non-compete_agreement.htm


Non Compete Lawyer Insights
http://www.myemploymentlawyer.com/non-compete-covenant-FAQs.htm

Break Your Non-compete.com offers an outline revealing defenses to help an employee break a non-compete agreement.
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3495/is_11_47/ai_94161935

US Dept of Labor
http://www.dol.gov/

Is it me or are ad agencies going out of style?

Just wondering because I see more and more clients dropping their agencies. I have worked in the agency world for a while and nothing is more apparent to me than how so, sooooo, many agency people want to sell what they think is best. Hello, McFly… just because it looks great or sounds cool doesn’t mean it will deliver the return that the client wants. And here’s another concept: just because some new technology was in Adage last week doesn’t mean your client needs it.

Here’s an idea, listen to what your client really wants. Then solve their problems instead of selling them something you want or need to add to your portfolio.

I went into another market down south a month ago and was astonished at how shitty the marketing and advertising was. Then, I realized that I had to stop myself. Who am I to say something doesn’t work? If the bar is set low, why should someone come and raise the bar if the same old shit is working? And why would a client listen to someone selling something they don’t have a need for yet? It’s like asking for inflation to take effect early.

I do believe that this thinking and the shifting media landscape will kill off a lot of agencies and force them to go into project mode. There will be an agency revolution and I believe many new agencies that get technology and efficiency will become the leaders of our agency world.

Effective PR, really.

Why is it that so many professionals don’t understand public relations? I mean real PR, effective PR. And they don’t get newsworthy or leverage and strategic placements. It eats me up when I see very experienced professionals trying to sell something that is not a fit. Don’t waste your time. Instead work harder on the sell. Make the connection.

Just because you build it, does not mean they will come.

Here are a few tips:
1. Read. Read. Read.
2. Know your media inside and out.
3. Do the litmus test. Show your pitch to someone not familiar with the concept at all. Do they look stupefied after you finish? Or do they have a look of interest? If the first, then head back to the think tank.
4. Customize your pitch. Make it connect with each person you are reaching out to. No mass marketing with pitching.
5. Know your elevator pitch. Make it to the point, relative and newsworthy.
6. Follow up. But, don’t be annoying. Give ideas and be flexible. Ask what would interest them. Trust me it will work if you engage the reporter. They get pitched all day long.
7. Finally, even after you think you have the placement. Follow up and confirm and verify.

Agency Blues

I gotta say one thing about an ad agency. It should be a house of ideas. A lot of ideas. No single person has all the answers, which is how agencies came to be. If you work at an agency, you expect creative outlets. If the outlets are not present, you will likely move on. So why is it, time and time again, agency owners want to have so much control?

My husband said something to me yesterday that made complete sense, and if – no when – I have my own shop, I will live by this motto.

Someone who fosters great talent, mentors and allows growth of those around them builds a company, in fact a legacy. Someone who does all the work and does not delegate, or spread opportunities to others, or is a control freak, is only building a job for life.

This is soooooo true!

Every agency I have worked with I see owners and partners that can go so much further. Make so much more money. Attract and retain real talent. If only they would foster their creative talent. Not their own talent, but those around them.

I believe that you only learn by teaching. And that means mentoring, knowing when to shut your mouth and when to direct others. I have grown enormous amounts by mentoring other young professionals. Coming up with off the wall ideas and not being afraid to say them out loud, being a sounding board, helping others through difficult dilemmas and situations has all made me as good as I am today.

Now, I don’t think I am high on my self. Trust me I know I don’t know it all. But, I know a lot, enough to be very good. And I want others around me to think this same way. I want confident, hard nosed, passionate people.

So why am I saying this? Because for the love of God can all us agency folk help make agencies more successful by doing this. Otherwise, turnover will stay as high as it is and shit work will continue to get produced.