At Future Flash‘s second and final day on Friday, several issues that keep agencies and their clients up at night were dragged out into the light of day.
Future Flash is the annual conference organized by the Institute of Communication Agencies.
The topic of social media peppered the day’s presentations as presenters discussed the nature of online followers.
Paul Kemp-Robertson, founder at Contagious, said social media is about quality, not quantity. Once a brand or agency has collected an active, passionate core of followers, that audience can essentially act as an agency partner in that they can help spread the word about a brand.
“Give people something they want to talk about and they’ll do the work for you,” said Kemp-Robertson.
For example, retailer Foot Locker launched Sneakerpedia.com last year. The site lets footwear buffs post pictures of their favourite sneakers (in the shoebox, since die-hard sneaker fans covet the boxes as much as the shoes themselves). Users also post details about the background of the shoes and which celebrities have been spotted wearing them.
Shoe fans propelled the site by submitting entries. Creating sites like these, “a living, breathing entity,” as Kemp-Robertson said, encourages consumers to expand an idea on behalf of the brand. (Plus, you don’t have to put them on the payroll!) “The project is steered by the audience,” said Kemp-Robertson.
This idea, he added, ties to the notion of ‘365,’ a theory based on thinking of projects, not campaigns. This 365 thinking means it’s the responsibility of PR companies, brands and agencies “to react in real time as events unfold.”
Future Flash’s second-day panel discussion addressed the way agencies work – or, more specifically, don’t work – together and how that relationship could change to create more innovative outcomes.
Noah Brier, co-founder and CEO at technology company Percolate, said “I think there will be shakeout in the advertising world, because splitting work out amongst different agencies working on the same project isn’t working.”
Traditionally, he said, the team working on TV spots for a project doesn’t talk with the group putting the web component together. Working in silos and not communicating is an issue. “We need talent to come together with ideas,” said Brier.
In order for big agencies to survive in the future, David Lee, digital executive creative director at TBWA\Worldwide, said he believes “we need to get back to actually making stuff” rather than channel-out work to another group or consultant.
Lee also commented on payment methods in the advertising industry and how they “actually encourage really bad behavior.” He asked the audience how many people charge time-and-a-half. After several people raised their hands, he said that model promotes “lots and lots of people working really slowly.” Lee believes the industry should shift to more results-based remuneration and accountability.
On another monetary note, Nick Broomfield, director and partner of The Customer Framework, said “The most lazy thing is for brands not to experiment.” He recommended putting 5% of a budget away for testing.
Gareth Kay, who runs the brand strategy department at Goodby, Silverstein & Partners, subsequently referenced that 5% figure in his presentation. He believes agencies should add communications R&D as a line item into the marketing budget. “Let’s make it a thing clients understand and expect.”
Kay’s closing comment during the last session of the day tied in with Future Flash’s overall theme: change.
“If you don’t like change, I guarantee you’ll like irrelevance even less.”
