Four predictions on the future of advertising. Yes, there is one.

I’ve been spending a lot of time thinking about what’s next. On both a personal level, for the agency where I work, and for the industry as a whole. One thing that’s pretty darn obvious, things have already shifted. There have been several reports on industry spending and the shift toward digital. Spending is predicted to continue to increase in digital segments while it will stay flat at decreased 09 levels in traditional segments. There have also been so shifts that will most likely not be long term.

Agencies have heard loudly that serving the same old sauce isn’t going to land new clients and keep old ones. Things have to change so I’m going to go way out on a limb and make some predictions.

  1. Agencies won’t be siloed the way they are in the future. Media, creative, and account service. We will still have creative girls and numbers guys, but media, planning, and some of what account service now does will be blurred. This will help produce better solutions for clients.
  2. Successful agency/client relationships will touch a lot more departments. Working with a mid-level marketing department executive for the day to day won’t be enough. Customer experience, outbound communication, and even inbound communication will become so important to the brand that great client/agency relationships will work on all of this and more on as part of a branding effort.
  3. Agencies will finally stop talking about the big idea and start talking about getting the details right. Who cares about a big idea when the brand experience is the new media? Getting the details right will make the brand successful.
  4. Long thought of a slick hucksters, ad folks will be preaching truth, trust, and respect for the customer. Remember David Ogilvy’s “the customer isn’t an idiot, she’s your mother.” Well, don’t forget it. In fact, repeat it once or twice and you’ll be on the cutting edge.

Bonus prediction: Agencies will be confused about what to call themselves for near future. Using monikers like group, Inc., collective, partners, labs, and idea factory because they’re afraid to commit to being grouped as just a digital shop or a old school advertising agency. Eventually, they’ll all agree on what their industry is called and rename the AAAA.

Posted on: September 1, 2009, by :