The Agency Of The Future - Lecture By The VCU Students

The students at the VCU presented at the Future Marketing Conference today their visions of the future advertising.

They first looked at how advertising ignored intelligent thought and that therefore advertising will become ignored. In fact, they argued, advertising ignores the consumers and the consumers are rebelling.

The students questioned the idea of the focus on the “consumer”. Despite this, the ad industry bombards them - throwing stuff at them. In reaction, consumers are taking control. Amazon is built on this premise. Consumers control the buying decision. The SNL skit ‘Narnia Chronicles’ that flew through web through YouTube.com reflects the power of the consumer too.

Today, the internet does not allow copyright, does not allow ownership. Consumers are in control. Consumers can even bring back things from the dead - even shows like the Family Guy.

Another example is the iPod Nano problem. On launch, the Nano has a structural floor. At first Apple wouldn’t let people return it. So folk took to the web and complained about it. It created such a negative demand that Apple admitted it sucked and changed their policy.

This is the consumer rebellion. Rebelling against intrusion and overload.

They showed Converse example, Nike iD including billboards and shoes. Crayola let people name their own crayons and Burger King let people do it their own way - consumers created their own brand videos. Apple does this too. Apple allows people to create their own experience.

This is about engagement - and if you engage the consumer, they will seek out the ads themselves. E.g. Bannerblog.

Agencies: Embrace the rebellion.

There’s a new consumer that wants to be engaged by brands in a totally new and different way. What do we do as an industry group?

One student questioned which type of current agency would be best prepared for the future. A non traditional agency? A traditional agency? An interactive agency? A media agency? A key issue comes from tradition. We no longer work for the client, we work for the agency. In fact the agency sits in between the consumer and the client.

Agencies no longer work for the client, nor the consumer but the brand. We’re not ad people anymore. We’re brand agents. Not even art directors and copywriters anymore - we’re brand agents, the students told the conference. We need to change our focus, we actually sell ideas and we need to remember that. If you use this as the focus, then you can come up with ideas for pr, packaging, products, advertising, stunts and even advertising.

In order to do this, media people need to be brought back into the agency to help us connect to the consumers. But we need clients to trust us.

Finances also need to be restructured. The client and the agency should have significant overlap - sharing the risk, investing in the idea. Current compensation is a result from the tradition of being an agent. Agencies will empathize with a client’s business if they are involved - dreams.

Therefore, there is a shift in purpose, investing in the client’s business.

The final thought used Howard Gossage quote, “To build a better mousetrap, leave room for the mouse.” Gossage believed in leaving room for the consumer. In the time of the consumer rebellion, Gossage would probably say that we must join them and march alongside them. In fact, he would say, “Be The Mouse”.