It is rare for a team to come to us for a workshop/talk but that is what the incredible Matt and Per (aka SquareBrains) from AKQA did for us this evening. Thanx for saving us the train fare! They had so many golden nuggets of information that are so obvious when you think with hindsight, but also really need to be said.
DO NOT PUT VIRALS IN YOUR BOOK was one piece of advice, as “viral” is not a medium, it is a phenomenon that you can only ever in your wildest dreams hope of achieving one day – “going viral”.
Also IF YOU CAN’T DO DIGITAL YOU WON’T GET A JOB. FACT. They did admit that they made this up and it isn’t a fact at all, but meant in a non-academic, completely and undeniably true fact kind of way. Which is obviously their opinion, but as advertising is all about everyone’s individual opinion, then it needs to be considered very seriously, especially as the future of advertising is very likely going to be very digitally based. So basically, if we don’t jump on this particular horse now, it’s going to run away without us.
We are told over and over again that what we do should be all about problem solving, not automatically creating adverts as the immediate solution. We seem to need telling over and over as, even though it should be so obvious, we do not do this, and immediately look straight to TV and press. STOP NOW. This is my advice, mainly to myself!
Well Evian did indeed prove too much for us, as the Miami/Bucks face off held at Saatchis yesterday involved a massive kick up the arse for all. They were not impressed, to say the least, although Bucks did win, coming 1st and 2nd. It was an extremely difficult product, but still, excuses don’t really fly in the real world! Still, taught us all a lesson – we all need to up our game MASSIVELY, and soon. So should probably get on with some work for the next workshop at Tribal DDB tomorrow. No rest for the wicked, most of whom are advertisers!
