Diversify or integrate - search agencies have a big challenge

It seems to be a watershed time for the Search sector at the moment.  In the early days the specialists had it all their own way, and it was a reasonable assertion that the multi-media agencies didn’t have the capabilities to compete with them.  Now it’s different. 

There are still a few specialist Search bullshitters making general comments about the multi-media agencies apparently not getting it, but in reality the facts speak for themselves.  Some of the multi-media agencies seem to be getting it alright - to the point that they currently represent just over half of the top ten search buying points. 

So it’s obvious that some of the multi-media players are good at Search, and some aren’t – just as there are good and bad specialists.  However it’s hard to argue against the benefits of integration, meaning that the better multi-media agencies are in a position to seriously challenge the better specialists for much of the other half of the market, so it’s not surprising to see that things are getting interesting.

Just as Glue has been pitching for non-digital creative business, I assume that some of the Search specialists will be diversifying too.  It’s no secret that several are experimenting with banner buying, but that’s not enough in my opinion.  They’re going to need to get into the online video game, and that’s increasingly related to the practice of TV planning, which has its own set of specific challenges.

Meanwhile I assume that many of the good specialist agencies and people will get bought by the bigger media groups, as they have been to date.  For those that choose to remain independent, they’ll need to find new ways to compete.  I believe that the time for generalising that all the multi–media agencies don’t get it has well and truly passed though.  

Guardian's changing media summit

While the editor mans the desks, Revolution's staff are taking it all in at the [non-digital] media conference of the year so far...

The Guardian's 'Changing Media' summit is already in full flow. Emily Bell has done 'a bit' and representatives of community classic Habbo Hotel have been up too. More on what they said to be found on our site in the next couple of hours.

Come the afternoon, Channel 4's Andy Duncan takes the stand and we'll have some coverage from his speech too. Look out for more as it happens... 

Revolution awards pix

Link to pictures from the night...

... I felt it was messy at the time. A couple of these help to confirm that. We had a great time. Hope the rest of you did too.

My weirdest moment of 2007 is definitely hearing Rob Brydon sing my name. Mighty strange..

Let’s get a bit experimental…in public

I see that Al Gore’s Current TV has just launched in the UK.  Most of you have probably heard of it, but for those that haven’t, it could best be described as consumer involved content on your TV via the Sky and Virgin platforms. 

In reality they restrict the consumer made stuff to about 30% of their output, the nature of which reflects their 16-24 targeting.  However what I really like is their attitude towards marketing.  They’ve made quite an interesting attempt to integrate brands with their content in a more progressive way than just basic TVCs and sponsorship.   

At first it all feels a bit contrived really - everything’s built into ‘pods’, which are structured into ‘families’.  But don’t let that put you off.  In practice it means a closer juxtaposition of commercial and editorial messages, without getting in the viewers’ faces too much.  And there’s as much consumer interaction and involvement as is reasonably possible or desirable with a combined broadcast and web business.  

But what I really like is their open acceptance that no-one knows all the answers about how to engage and influence in the new TV environment just yet.  They’ve therefore devoted a time every hour for one of their partner advertisers to experiment, very publicly, with different types of longer-form content.  Clearly they’re only doing this because they ultimately want to maximise their margins, but whilst I can envisage other web media brands getting involved in this sort of thing, I just can’t imagine many of the old school TV crowd being quite so enthusiastic about the concept (although to be fair they are regulated harder too).    

Interestingly the long-form films can be created commercially, or by soliciting work from actual viewers – and I take on board many of the comments posted on John’s blog earlier re the challenges regarding the latter. 

I’ll also read your comments to this posting with interest too.  This is my first time though so please be gentle… 

Sorrell the mad dwarf?

Sir Martin's troubles in court bring to mind Revolution's own encounter with 'the most powerful man in advertising'.

We nabbed the WPP chief last year for our cover story and were forced to wait about an hour an a half - understandably since: he was in a board meeting about two days before WPP's annual results; the legal battle with his Italian friends had just kicked off; and the dust was only just settling on revelations about his divorce settlement (£21m was quoted).

Anyway, apparently, the man's shortness - while famous - is a mightily taboo subject within WPP's walls. We had little time so wanted to get the photo shoot all set up to make the process as quick as possible for us and him.

To do this, we needed to know how tall he was. The receptionist says: 'oh, about the same height as you...', you being me. I'm no tower of a man, but famously short I am not, so I say 'are you sure?'. 'Yep, little bit shorter maybe...'

We get set up, I go in to do the interview - am mightily impressed by his focus, sharpness and presence (and wherewithal to accept that digital is not his forte - nor could it be), but also note that his feet are practically swinging in his seat.

Out we come, quick word to the photographer 'he's about yay high,' I say, holding my hand up to about shoulder height. The receptionist says 'no he's not'... but, but, but, yes he is!

Modem Media want to be Amazing Creatures

First sight of the leader for the April issue. We avoid lambasting Modem for a stunning piece of pretentious guff and look at the worthy angle instead..

"Whatever you think of Modem Media using 'Amazing Creatures' as a new slogan - and there’s not many in the industry being very kind about it - it does at least point to a shift in the positioning and power of digital agencies.

Next month, Revolution investigates fully how advertisers can get genuinely integrated work and the kind of agencies to hire to help deliver it. But, for now, it’s obvious that digital specialists are gaining a place at the top table with above-the-line agencies as clients seek integrated ideas.

Indeed, there are signs that they can take the top place at the top table. Last year, AKQA took on an outdoor brief for Yell.com, and, last month, Agency.com won the lead on a new campaign for Ikea against traditional, above-the-line shops.

In keeping with this trend, Modem’s new slogan isn’t just a pretentious gimmick, it reflects its new owners’ ambition to have it recognised as a creative leader regardless of the medium over which the final execution is delivered. It is more recognition that the dream of online specialists - to be awarded business on the strength of their ideas, regardless of their heritage - is approaching realisation.

But, let’s not get carried away. The biggest mistake the digital sector could make would be to underestimate the talent that lies in traditional agencies, or their desire to hold on to their crown. And, while a few leading interactive shops might be winning a few ‘non-digital’ briefs, these cases are most certainly the exception rather than the rule.

What would be most counter-productive is for digital practitioners, now that they are in the ascendancy, to pick up the attitudes of mainstream agencies along with their business.

The temptation to shout ‘I told you so’ at the top of their voices must be strong. But, it is their focus on delivering for clients and their hard-won humility that has helped digital agencies get this far. To throw all that away by failing to engage the expertise and experience of traditional practitioners would be stupid, and not a little ironic, given the criticism aimed at above-the-line types for failing to embrace other media.

From the point of view of clients, it is important that they hand integrated work to the agency that delivers the best integrated idea, whomsoever that may be.

Indeed, to think of things in terms of a choice between one kind of agency versus another - or one kind of medium versus another - misses the core shift for which digital media has been the catalyst. Clients need to encourage agencies to work together, to bring all their individual expertise to the table, so that a campaign’s effect is greater than the sum of its constituent parts. That way, audiences can be reached and affected, however fragmented their ‘media time’ has become."

Will the iphone be a winner?

I have been asked my opinion of the likely success of the iphone on a number of occasions recently. So here it is..

The device's annoucement in January received huge interest from the press and was lauded by many as the device that would change the mobile device landscape, and for good reason.

It is a very impressive piece of equipment. Apple developed the device focused upon ease and speed of use. The resulting operating system is claimed by Apple to be years ahead of competition.

The design with a revoluntary patented touchscreen means that there no tradional keypad. It also has both a light and proximity sensor so that the display and speaker turn off when it brought up to the ear, and a motion sensitive screen which automatically changes from portrait to landscape as you move the device ensuring the screen images are always the right position.

The device is slim (less than 12 mm thick), and supports a technology called EDGE(a faster version of the current 2G network, making it 3G like), and WiFi (Wireless LAN). It also has a 2 Megapixel camera. As you would expect from Apple, it has full itunes support plus iphoto and video support it also has embedded Google applications including search, email and mapping and Yahoo search and mail. So on the face of it we have a sure fire winner with consumers, especially those existing Apple lovers.

However, there are some limitations. The device lauches on an exclusive deal with Cingular in the US in July 2007 for $499. If this network exclusivity approach is adopted in other territories sales will naturally be limited as a portion of consumers stick to their favoured nework.

Also the pricepoint is at the top end of the market so this will limit sales. Finally the device also runs a proprietary Mac OSX operating software so initially the will be fewer developers writing for the device. However the focus upon the improved user interface and fast access to branded Internet applications will, in my opinion, change the face of the mobile user interface.

It will be an aspiration device for many, and I predict that a number of the handset manufacturers will look to produce their versions of the interface. So, in summary, its likely to be a winner for some and a device to aspire for the rest of us! What do you think?