“Social media is like guerrilla warfare with a Geneva Convention,” said David Jones, vice-president digital communications at Toronto’s Hill and Knowlton, on the first day of the annual Trans-Canada Advertising Agency Network (T-CAAN) conference in Halifax.
In a funny and engaging speech, Jones made an argument both for the importance of social media and the need for agencies to guide their clients into that arena in an active and creative way.
“There is a lack of good strong voices from the ad agency community,” he noted. “Only 10% of the Canadian blogs that made Ad Age’s Power 150 list of advertising-related blogs are from advertising firms. The rest are independent interactive shops or ex-interactive guys from big shops–people who have gone out on their own and who really believe in this space. These are the kind of digital natives you need to start advising your clients.”
“Bloggers are really afraid of strangers,” said Jones as he outlined what he termed “the rules of engagement” for social media. “You have to build a relationship with them. Don’t try to co-opt the conversation… It has to be real people talking to other real people–not a spokesblogger.”
Gaining appropriate access to social media, he said, includes analyzing the space to identify online influencers, developing an interaction strategy, and building relationships.
Relationships are paramount, meaning that public relations skills are vital. But, he added, “In my mind, PR community-building skills plus advertising creativity equals social marketing gold. There is a spot for creativity in this space but it has to be done authentically.”
Jones suggested that developing capacity in social media within agencies is not just a question of servicing clients but competing effectively for new business. He pointed to the rise and strength of shops like Social Media Group in Dundas, Ont., which snagged a contract to help Ford Motor Company develop its global social media strategy in 2007. “This is the future we should think about,” said Jones. “Another set of boutique agencies–these specializing in social media.”
Jones was one of several speakers at the first day of the four-day conference, which had as its theme “Join the Conversation”– an apt tag both for the conference and T-CAAN itself.
T-CAAN is an organization of small-to medium-size agencies from all over the country–one per region–that work together to gain national scope.
“We have partnerships with T-CAAN agencies all of the time,” said Al Albania, president of Ottawa-based ACART Communications and incoming T-CAAN president.
The strength of the organization is not just in the ability to connect with others, he explained, but the degree to which the member organizations buy into the model. “How do you measure trust?” he laughed. “I started my involvement in a cautious way, worried that the information I shared might be used against me. I learned quickly that when I ask T-CAAN people to help me, they are willing to help even if the benefit is just to me. Then I do the same for them, and we pass that trust along.”
Indeed, on the first day of the meeting, a partner at one agency chatted with the head of another about how difficult it was to lose a key account lead immediately after a major win. There was no attempt to spin the loss, just an honest discussion about its implications. Camaraderie is obviously high amongst members. The very earnest and serious conversations taking place around the room about the state of the business and how to strengthen the position of independents were laced with inside jokes, and people calling out to others by nickname.
