Man, what a month in Marketing land.
First, you have one of the largest Ad Agencies in the world admitting their business model is broken, because agencies are not in charge of the fundamentals of Branding – service, innovation, engagement, and execution. I would add the same thing could often be said of the client side; MarCom people spend way too much time on “Com” and not enough on “Mar” – is it time for a realignment?
Then, in an even more spectacularly unexpected move, you have C-Level folks at 2 gargantuan Advertising Agencies (though both part of WPP) co-writing an article declaring that Brand and Response are the Same. Here’s the opener: “the value that brands bring to a company’s total business value is exaggerated.”
Holy Branding Batman, that’s one heck of a thing to say for an Ad Agency, know what I mean? But they are absolutely right, the nature of a Brand has changed, this ain’t the 1960’s.
This is how they get to “the singularity”:
“What was once sales is now enhancing the brand expeÂrience, because through direct marketing technology and strategies, a brand can reinforce its ability to listen, customize and learn from the consumer. This is not just direct marketing, its direct engagement with every potential customer, sometimes at the moment they’re introduced to the brand. In fact, in a world of compressed consumer decision-making, direct response is now a potent form of brandÂing.”
I love it when you talk that way.
Let’s be clear on this.