be prepared for creative role reversal in 09

Influx Insights — 2009-01-03T11:32:05Z

It looks like everyone is going to have to start thinking outside their narrow confines if they are going to be successful in 2009. The same old thinking in silos is just no longer going to cut it. It's not what clients want and it's not what's going to keep your agency profitable.

The NYT ran a story yesterday about LG working creatively with Conde Nast to develop print advertising. While creative honchos may snub their noses and say the work sucks, they are missing the point.

Its partnership with Conde Nast makes a lot of sense; the magazine publisher has celebrity PR agents knocking on its doors 24/7, trying to get stories. There's no way the magazine can meet all these requests, but it can siphon off the good ones to its creative department and find ways to help these celebs partner with brands. It's a great use of resources and access.

Then there's the recently breaking story about the Michelle Obama fashion blog, Mrs O. Various critics seem to be up in arms that it's the work of an ad agency, in fact, a subsidiary of BBH. Who cares? If the content is good and people want to read it, does it matter who is behind it?

In 2009 and beyond, it's not about borders and boundaries, but good ideas that can appear anywhere and be created by anyone. The trouble is much of our business still lives in the past, a past that's defined by old rules and old paradigms of creativity.

It's clear that in the coming 18-24 months, those with inability to grasp the new model and seize the myriad of opportunities that now exist, will simply be left behind.

Posted by Ed Cotton

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be prepared for creative role reversal in 09