Industry Leaders Debate 'What's Next'

UPDATE: Wanted to put Greg Andersen's comments upfront, since it seems he was misquoted in the article. Thanks for the correction!

A number of inaccurate quotes in this article. Most significantly, my view of the future. The thrust of my conversation was about creating brand engagement through utility...that is, brands creating services which are perceived as valuable to its audiences. Useful, not intrusive.

I, like you, am over the well-worn example of a world of unsolicited wireless messages bombarding you at every turn. In fact, every panel speaker was. I believe it was an example of where things could go.

The 't-shirt' quote is out of context, and an example of how applying technology to previously static things could create exciting new creative opportunities.

Thanks the chat. Best. Greg

Yep, another great example of what's wrong with the advertising industry. Let's take another new and potentially cool technology and use it to continuously broadcasting promos from storefronts. Cause that's what we can't wait to happen. Walking down the street and our damn phone pinging every 50 feet with some lame offer from some store that you may or may not be interested in. But, since the advertising industry is still all about pushing information where ever they can, it's not surprising that this would be how they see the future of advertising.

Come on folks, stop with the lame-ass thinking. I'm actually big on what bluetooth and cell phones can deliver, but continuously broadcasting ads from store fronts to people passing the stores is not at all what we should be doing. This is just being lazy. Instead of really looking at these new technologies to see how they can create a more compelling, authentic and relevant brand experience, we just take the easy way out and use it to broadcast ads. I wonder how many times friends of Greg's have asked him for advertising broadcast to their cell phones. Guessing not many people outside of the advertising industry would actually ask for this to happen.

Once again the rule seems to hold true. If you want to really hear about what the future should be for advertising, you can’t expect to hear it from from the big, agency holding companies. Very disappointing that thinking like this is coming from BBH. Always thought they were hipper then that!

BTW, I spent a week in Amsterdam with Lori Schwartz during the PICNIC conference and thought she was right on when she said Often in such cases, the big ideas driving campaigns get lost in the rush to use new technologies. I’m hoping we’ll get to do some things together with Lori in the future!

Aimee Reker, svp, global director of search at IPG's McCann Worldgroup, Lori Schwartz, svp, director of IPG's Emerging Media Lab and Greg Andersen, head of engagement planning at Publicis Groupe-backed Bartle Bogle Hegarty, discussed trends with Adweek creative editor Eleftheria Parpis.

Panelists cited several new interactive technologies that present "exciting opportunities" for marketers, despite potential privacy and intrusion issues.

Andersen said he'd like to see "SMS on T-shirts" (SMS is the text-messaging protocol) and favors "fixed wireless" efforts, such as broadcasting continuous promos from storefronts to passersby equipped with Blue Tooth-enabled cellphones.

Link: Industry Leaders Debate 'What's Next'.

Link: What’s Next? The Great Debate « Agency Spy.

Comments

[Greg Andersen]

A number of inaccurate quotes in this article. Most significantly, my view of the future. The thrust of my conversation was about creating brand engagement through utility...that is, brands creating services which are perceived as valuable to its audiences. Useful, not intrusive.

I, like you, am over the well-worn example of a world of unsolicited wireless messages bombarding you at every turn. In fact, every panel speaker was. I believe it was an example of where things could go.

The 't-shirt' quote is out of context, and an example of how applying technology to previously static things could create exciting new creative opportunities.

Thanks the chat. Best. Greg

[David Polinchock]

Greg:

Thanks for correcting my post. As I said, I was surprised that someone from BBH would say something so "old fashioned," as you guys are usually known for being much hipper then most agencies. Like your point about creating brand engagement through utility -- wish more brands thought that way. If you're in NYC, come on by the Lab and we'll give you a tour!

David