Peter Levitan & Co.

The New Business of Advertising

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Social Media Complexity As Advertising Agency New Business Tool

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Just when you thought it was safe to go out…. comes the brand new 2013 version of the Conversation Prism.

The first Conversation Prism was created by JESS3 and Brian Solis in 2008. I used it in many social media presentations for both current clients and new business pitches. It helped demonstrate the complexity of the social media space.

The new version has expanded to include business-based social networks, social marketplaces, influence measurement and on.

If you are looking for a chart to help show clients that they should be way confused about the growing array of social media options this one os for you. Frankly, it kinda gives me a headache (and makes me want to go to a Thai Kho.) But, since you job is problem solving… this one is for you.

ConversationPrism-2013-update-cropped

IDL Worldwide & Best Ad Agency Sign

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logo-idlOne could argue that coming up with recognition for “Best Agency Sign” is not that relevant to the ad business. But, IDL Worldwide, as they say on Twitter: “@IDLWorldwide. Brand in Real Life”, is about experiences. To kinda prove the point to people walking through Portland’s trendy North Park Blocks (I say trendy just to piss off Portland folks) that IDL lives up to “real life”, they have a Working / Playing neon sign over their front door.

Since sizable crowds walk by the agency during Portland’s First Thursday Art Walk, the agency proudly declares PLAYING while serving free beers to people who come into see IDL’s art show.

So, what I dig is that they are living and declaring the agency’s stated mantra and reason for being.

Here is their neon sign which changes from…

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Leagas Delaney + Booz & Company + Snowden

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Edward SnowdenFrom the June 26th edition of Britain’s advertising industry Campaign Magazine comes this rather timely headline:

Leagas Delaney launches tech alliance with Booz & Company

Teams from the two companies will be created to work on designing customer experience, crafting technology solutions and working with clients to launch these solutions. Discussions with potential clients have begun.

Delaney said: “Our combined model with Booz Digital will bring CEOs and CMOs the confidence that their vision for transforming their business can be realised because we understand the accelerated change that consumers’ digital demands create.”

Imagine. You are Leagas’ founder Tim Delaney and you are sitting on this big news and you wake up a week earlier to this headline:

Booz Allen Hamilton: Edward Snowden News ‘Shocking’, ‘A Grave Violation’

Now, to be factual, Booz and Booz Allen Hamilton (Snowden’s employer and earner of $3.8 billion in secretive U.S. defense contracts) are separate companies. Booz was spun out a few years ago. But, its all a bit confusing. And the branding issue, like who knows that Booz and Booz aren’t the same…. well, you know.

So, whether Leagas likes it or not*, to the unknowing, they are now associated with America’s latest whistle-blower / traitor-type.

*By the way, timing and unfortunate branding issues aside, the idea of an advertising agency teaming up with a smart tech company is brilliant. I have been preaching this type of alliance since 1995 when I left Saatchi to found my first Internet start-up.

 

 

 

Zillow Advertising: Nice New TV Commercial. But, Why Leave Seattle?

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zillow3dI am starting to think about selling my house so I’m paying attention to real estate advertising. This new TV spot from Zillow hit the spot. The :60 commercial stars a family looking at homes while living in different cites. Or is dad just traveling?  You’ll have to see the surprise (rather) emotional ending to find out.

The commercial was done by Deutsch L.A. (a nice advertising agency.) But, since Zillow is in Seattle…. why did they have to take their business out of town? I could have helped them find at least 5 very sharp agencies in Seattle. They live here.

I’d love to ask Amy Bohutinsky, Zillow’s chief marketing officer, the Seattle question. Did she explore the Seattle ad agency market? Did Seattle advertising agencies not reach out – she’s been at Zillow for 7 years? Did she need a trip to L.A.? I know a few sensitive ad folks up north who could have delivered some sharp advertising — and a decent bottle of wine. When I owned my Portland agency it always killed me when a local client took their business out of town.

Oh well, never mind – at least it’s well-branded advertising that tells a sweet story.  Here is a smart quote from Amy about the ad strategy:

“The process of shopping for a home today is emotional, absorbing, collaborative, and driven by technology and online information. Our ‘Find Your Way Home’ campaign chronicles modern families in ways that most home shoppers can relate — as they search for not just a home, but a place for their life to happen.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=o3bZz_JHyyA

Ad Agencies: Follow The Mobile Advertising Money

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Advertising, design, PR and digital agencies are always searching for the next pot of gold. Determining which revenue pot to aim for (I know “pot” sounds kinda awful) is part of business development planning. As we move deeper into the digital age, we need more tools and insights to help us figure out the best plan and agency structure to meet our client’s rapidly evolving needs.

old emarketer mobile charteMarketer, with their daily charts and information, has been a very insightful guide for business planning. For example, they called the future of mobile advertising fairly early. Some smart and increasingly successful agencies figured out that mobile could be their future and built an agency around delivering mobile services.

Radel Artida of Staff.com, a global recruitment platform, recently sent me the infographic posted below that  shows the IT jobs with the highest pay. I think that it could be used by agency planners to help determine where the money is and is going. The fastest growing categories for IT professionals are mobile development (with Android jobs up 129% and iOS up 190%), cloud computing and gaming. Website development continues to grow, however at a slower pace.

My bet continues to be on mobile. Here’s an idea: I suggest that agency managers start to think through having a thought-leadership program that explores and explains the mobile space for their clients. This serves a couple of purposes. It would force a mobile-lite agency and its staff to begin to learn about the mobile advertising platform, it positions the agency for the increasing move to mobile and it starts to build some mobile SEO honey for the agency blog. It is also a powerful business development strategy.

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