Our letter in Campaign
We felt compelled to responsed to an interesting recent article in campaign from Fallon’s chairman, Laurence Green, as we felt it had particular relevance to the digital market. This is the piece in full along with pic of it in situ. You may notice they’ve prefferd to use Laurence’s photo over mine- this was almost certainly a wise choice.
Dear Editor,
I must congratulate Laurence Green on his article on the theory of ‘The Long Now’ (Campaign 29/01/09). Whilst it’s obviously much harder to put into practice when both agency and client bottom lines are being squeezed, there is no arguing the sentiment.
It particularly holds true to me in the digital industry, which is facing its first recession; a situation that can be viewed as both a serious opportunity and a threat. When budgets were big and lack of true digital understanding was endemic (at both a client and agency level), the internet was all too often a playground of the award-hungry and rich; the over blown minisite and short-term thinking reigned supreme. However, those days of building expensive online eye-candy must now surely be over.
In order to, as Laurence commented, “emerge from the dip fitter, not just leaner” efficiency and scalability need to be central to agency and client thinking. To develop an idea without considering how its life can be extended and developed in 6, 12 or 18 months time, should not acceptable. As traditional budgets have tightened, there has been a serious land grab for a slice of the digital pie, but to me the test is now which agencies can deliver great campaigns when the budget is more like £20k than £200k. Clients have the responsibility to look past the flashy showreel and truly understand the depth of expertise within an agency before bringing them on board. They then need the people with the skills to brief and manage their relationships properly, and not a marketing manager asked to juggle too many balls in the name of cost cutting.
Those relationships that are successful have the chance to prove once and for all the value of the digital offering over any other medium, and both parties will be all the stronger for it in the long-term.
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