The Media Agency of the Future

Before I launch into a small novel of my opinions, I would like to apologize to those few people who do read this blog. I know I took almost a full year off from writing anything substantial, and I know in that year I tried to move to Tumblr (the so-called MySpace of blogging. Don’t worry, I failed at keeping up with that too). However, being a student, club leader, intern, and employee of two different businesses, in addition to craving a social life (my poor friends and boyfriend had to pencil themselves into my schedule), really caved in on my time to write decent posts for awhile. I’m back again, having just started my new adventure with Blitz, as their new Digital Coordinator.

As a digital coordinator, and a former media intern in both the traditional and online realms, I have seen how quickly things in media have changed – even in the three short years since I have started in this industry. It is in this day and age that Darwin’s theory truly comes forth: survival of the fittest. People have said it over and over again. Brands must adapt to the changing environment. Sure, it’s scary. Sure, no one knows what’s going to happen. But staying the same, staying with the status quo never got anyone anywhere. Big brands taking big leaps in the right direction will win.

So what’s the “right” direction?

If only someone had an answer. Last week, Advertising Age came out with its first ever Media Issue. An entire issue dedicated to media. Where is it going? What is happening to it? Will its quick evolution be its own death? Where are media agencies, much like Blitz, going to be in ten years from now?

So really. Where is media going? Where are we going? Many of these articles said that the important thing media agencies will need to realize is that media is no longer media anymore. Media is, in short, everything.

It already can’t really be categorized and shelved away the way library books can. That is, if people still go to the library with the Kindles, the iPads, and the Nooks of the industry coming out stronger than ever. But that’s besides the point.

The point is, the world is changing. Surprise, surprise. In the future, media agencies, and all agencies in general, will be less focused on the clicks and the impressions, the conversion rates, the ROI. This is not to say that these metrics aren’t important- because they are. They will still exist. They have to. But a media campaign will not simply be banner ads here, in-banner videos there, maybe a 00:30 second spot one week and a full page ad another.

I think it will be more about who is talking about what, where, when, and why. Yes, the dreaded word. It will be about “buzz.”  Say what you will about social media (and yes, I hate it too sometimes), but it has only expanded the net of conversations available to people. I hear about things on Twitter from people I have never even heard of, much less met. For example, I decided to try a restaurant last week with my boyfriend, not because we saw advertisements for it, but because one of my follower’s re-tweeted their follower’s re-tweet of something said by someone else that neither me nor my follower followed. Get it? Yeah, kind of confusing. But influential.

It isn’t all about sponsored Tweets or Facebook ads or anything like that. But it’s also not going to be about having a protocol. It’s not going to be about telling the client your process. Absolutely not.

It’s going to be about the consumer. I don’t know if that’s a beat-over-the-head point yet or not. But I really, truly believe that everything needs to move more and more towards the consumer. People are starting to pay attention to the way advertising works. And I’m not just talking about people like me, people who work in the industry. No. Everyone.

I was at trivia night the other day at White Horse Tavern (I’m very bad at trivia, I found out) and there was a picture round. You had to identify the “man.” There was the Blue Man Group, Redman, and other notable men. But the one man there that everyone knew (besides the Blue Man Group because how could you possibly miss that?) was “The Most Interesting Man in the World.” That’s right. The man from the Dos Equis commercial. After we had an embarrassing loss at trivia night, we went to buy some beer to bring home and wallow in how all of our knowledge of useless things…was simply not useless enough. I bought Dos Equis. I didn’t realize the connection until I was home, drinking a bottle of Dos Equis and watching late night Comedy Central.

Obviously, that picture round was not sponsored by Dos Equis. But Dos Equis knew just how to intrigue people in their demographic. I want to be classy. I want to be cool. I want to be interesting. I want to be that guy. Except female.

How do brands utilize media to make people want their brand, want to relate to their brand, the way I want to relate to The Most Interesting Man in the World?

They listen. Not just media agencies, but all agencies of the future are going to have to be better at listening. Not to the client,  because no offense clients, you know we love you, but sometimes you have no idea what you’re saying. To the consumer. To both the users and the non-users of your brand. What are they saying about you, about your competitors, about themselves? Most importantly, what are they saying about themselves? Does that fit with your brand truth? How can you use that compatibility in the world (currently known as media) to make those consumers see that you understand them? We all love to be understood.

So how will this effect media agencies? Well, for one, it will make all agencies more complex. Things will have to be more organized on a team-by-team basis because there will be no protocol. Things will have to be felt out on a brand-by-brand basis. Because, of course, no two brands are the same. And if they are, perhaps it’s time for a change. The media agency will be more about integration into the daily lives of consumers. I know that there’s already a shift towards that, but the truth is, commercials are still the most popular avenue of advertising.

I think in the next decade, there will be a dramatic shift towards immersion not interruption. I’m not saying commercials will be gone forever. I’m just saying things like commercials and banner ads and billboards will simply be reinforcers for the big idea for the rest of the campaign. I’m not sure where the center-piece of these new campaigns will be – perhaps in creative guerrilla marketing techniques or projects like Pepsi Refresh. By the time we get to a decade from now, projects like Pepsi Refresh will be able to be blown up to a much larger magnitude. Brands will regain personalities. Brands will be like people. They are already starting to transform that way.

I suppose this doesn’t really answer the question, “Where will media agencies go in 10 years?” Probably because there is no definitive answer. The future is blurrier than ever before. The only way to find out is to dive head first into it– like a new adventure. I like new adventures.  Bon voyage!

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