The next “Big thing”
Working at Ogilvy and Mather has opened my eyes to major trends emerging in the industry. I believe the next “Big Thing” in advertising is complicated given the array of pieces that are needed to create any great cohesive campaign over a number of mediums. However, if I had to pick what I believed to be the next “big thing” I would say it would have to do with the production of creative content for the application of digital and mobile media along with the development of the web platforms and technologies that will be used to deliver them. Over the last 5 years we have seen a huge increase in the production of digital content creation that can be applied through many aspects of a campaign not limited to just TV and print but, also online and now mobile. The Levis “Go Forth” was a prime example of that. All aspects of the commercial and print for this campaign found expansive roots in many web forums that offered more insight into different areas that composed the campaign/project. By producing so much creative content and interactive applications, i.e. film and user generated content platforms; the agency was able to stretch the use of these materials to create a campaign that could be spread over a number of platforms to optimize the client’s dollar. Digital media platforms such as twitter, facebook, and websites set up specifically for the campaign were able to spread the brand’s message across the world to an enormous audience while simultaneously gathering market research to help clients define their audience and the effectiveness of the campaign. In these economic times that is an amazing value for the client and could justify higher budgets. With digital campaigns like these clients are more apt to trust an agency to really do something creative for their brand to set them apart in this current congested digital landscape. The web has become such a powerful tool in getting brand messages across to target consumers and at the forefront of these message deliveries is the necessity for rich and creative digital content that will capture the target’s attention and also connect with them finding a place in their hearts and minds.
To stay competitive in this global market agencies are going to have to be more than just be creative in the creation of the digital content that make up the campaigns themselves. I believe working with digital media developers in the areas of both web and mobile will play a huge role in discerning the most effective routes to deliver these messages. Currently mobile campaigns are showing great effectiveness and daily we are seeing the application of QR codes to out of home and print media. I believe those agencies that can work with technology and web development firms to figure out the most effective ways to harness these types of technologies in conjunction with quality digital content will be the most competitive in the current and future advertising market. With the increasingly amazing capabilities of smart phones and the increase in their availability globally I think this is the new frontier and forum of advertising.
“I have already seen ad messages pop onto my screen as txt messages with links to discount coupons and as QR codes that appear in the center of bus stops where copy once held position. New, strange, and interesting times we are entering into… interesting times in a world where the digital reality and the one we call “real” are becoming blurred by devices that remain attached to our faces.” -Sheldon Abba
