Three Minute Happiness

James Cooper

And so the time has come to write my last post from these shores. I started this blog a year ago almost to the day and it's been enormous fun. I'll continue to blog when I start work in NY next year but for now a few thoughts on the digital scene, what's next and of course an update on my year of not buying clothes.

First up a little bit on why I am leaving. I think anyone that knows me even remotely well will know that I have had a desire to live and work in New York for some time. If circumstances had been different I would have loved to have gone with Dare but that wasn't to be - through no ones fault. And chances likes Another Anomaly don't come up that often so there we are. I have a destiny with doughnuts.

I will spare you my diatribe about how f**ked up London is as a city because most of you still have to live and work here!

I feel extremely fortunate to be have been part of what I consider will be a golden age of digital marketing. I know this sounds a little pompous but I really believe the last 3-4 years have been something special in the industry. Just in terms of new formats, experimentation, energy and buzz. I think the next few years will be all about consolidation in terms of agencies and formats. And it might not be so sparkly.

For example, I can't see banners really having any kind of creative credibility more than they have now. The next step is how all this shit really, truly, fits together and what that does for a client. Simply putting something fancy in a 468 x 68 pixeled box is not going cut it - however cool it might be.

I have a hunch search and film for the web are going to divide agencies. Film is what everyone wants to get into, it's sexy, fun and like 'advertising' - but it doesn't make any money for agencies. What does make money is search. But search is boring. Search is not advertising - not in the traditional sense. It is science rather than art - so the aritistic people the industry need won't touch it. Could an agency do both - I don't think so - but certainly a network could - witness AKQA buying up every search consultancy it possibly can. Smart.

I think it's the same for big web builds. Does a creative web agency want to get involved in huge back-end builds? Probably not. So what does that leave? Still lots actually - when you consider another facebook type thing will no doubt appear sometime soon and change everythnig. But lets talk about film for a moment. One of our clients had a board meeting about a piece of film we had made. They wanted to know why it had cost 10 times less than the film their TV agency made for them. Now obviously the TV ad was 'better' - but what does better mean (actually mean to a clients sales?) and could one really argue that having a proper director and catering unit makes it a whole ten times better? These are the realities agencies and clients are facing. I have always said that it will be easier for digital agencies to prepare for bigger budgets than TV agencies to eat a bit of humble pie and slash their budgets. I'm sticking to that.

So I think it will all get rather interesiting over the next 3 years. I will look from over the pond with great interest. As I said, I feel extremely lucky to have been part of two great agencies; Dare and Republic. Both are in rude health and well set to take advantage of whatever might happen. I wish you all luck, but you don't need it, because you rock.

Finally an update on my not buying clothes for a year. Apart from a few pressies from people, some socks and pants it has been a new clothes free year. And I have to say it was easy. (Apart from when I was slightly drunk in Paris). When you start packing up your house to move country you really realise how much shite you accumulate over the years. For my first month in NY I will be living out of a suitcase so may well be forced to do the odd bit of shopping in the Jan sales over there - the half price half price (did i mention how ridiculously expensive London is...?) sales! It will be hard, but I'll cope.

I start work at the end of January. Brand Republic have asked me to continue so if you want to hear how it's all going stay in touch.

Merry Chrimbo to you all - or Happy Holidays as I think I will need to get used to saying.

Toodle pip.