1) What trends, developments or issues would you point to so far in 2015 as being most significant, perhaps carrying implications for the rest of the year and beyond?
2) What work (advertising or entertainment) —your own or others’—has struck a responsive chord with you this year and why?
3) What work (advertising or entertainment) —your own or others’—has struck you as being the most effective strategically and/or creatively in terms of meshing advertising and entertainment?
4) Though gazing into the crystal ball is a tricky proposition, we nonetheless ask you for any forecast you have relative to the creative and/or business climate for the second half of 2015 and beyond.
5) What do recent honors on the awards show circuit (Cannes Lions winners, AICP Show/AICP Next Award honorees, AICE winners or Emmy nominations spanning comedy, drama, documentary, etc.) tell us in terms of creative and/or strategic themes and trends in the industry at large?
6) What new technology, equipment or software will you be investing in later this year or next year for your company or for yourself personally, and why? Or, tell us about what new technology investment you’ve made this year and why it was a good decision – or not?
Mid year Survey Reponses Continued:
Pete Favat, chief creative officer, North America, Deutsch
1) There seems to be a giant swell of cause-related marketing popping up everywhere. We’ve been seeing this trend for a long time, but the results and statistics are striking. 75% of people will ditch a brand they have been somewhat loyal to for a brand that champions the cause they personally believe in. It seems like these insights have finally made a breakthrough in marketing.
2) We experienced great results with our “Happy Father’s Day, Mom” content for Angel Soft. Our goal was to be more than just about toilet paper and matter in culture and we did just that. We created a video that got people talking about toilet paper. Conversations on social (Twitter) increased 1,614% and the conversations associated with Angel Soft shifted from topics like “bath tissue” to “single moms” and “love.” Broadcast, online and print media were all talking about it.
3) The ICE bucket challenge was hands down the most creative idea of the year. In addition to promoting an important social cause, the fact that zero dollars were spent to promote the challenge and yet 440 million people saw it is a true testament to the strategic and creative power behind it.
4) Clients and brands are starting to realize the power of original and shareable content. There will undoubtedly be a continued increase in the amount of long-form content brands are creating and sharing across channels and devices. The massive amount of people gravitating toward mobile consumption is changing the way brands try to draw you in. I hope we’ll see a lot more experimentation and risk-taking in the type of content being shared.
5) As I mentioned above, powerful cause marketing has taken the awards show circuit by storm. And it’s no coincidence. Whether we’re speaking out against domestic violence, generating awareness for ALS, empowering single moms or promoting the strength that comes from being #LikeAGirl, meaningful PSAs and social support are striking a cord with both the industry and consumers, leading to an onslaught of creative, award-winning, and—most importantly—effective ideas.
6) Production. Investing in production is a priority for Deutsch right now for a number of reasons. It enables us to be a more full service partner to our clients, turn great creative ideas around quickly and attract greater talent to the agency.
Cedric Gairard, head of production, Johannes Leonardo
1) Newsrooms have become the place where content, production, distribution and everything in-between, converge. However, brands need to better understand how to communicate with data (and communicate how they use it). Agencies need to make better use of a world where value is derived from individuals with a multitude of skill-sets.
The vendor-as-agency and agency-as-vendor model will continuously evolve. For instance, agency line producing is becoming more popular for smaller budget projects, and certain vendor-partners have seen direct-to-client jobs. The competition will make for better work and new models in-tune with actual makers.
The idea of 20% of the talent producing 80% of the value is over, forcing us to discover new talent across a wider field. It’s the challenge at the core of Johannes Leonardo’s long-term business vision.
4) No company can be everywhere and do everything – not anymore. The best companies (client, advertising or production) will start by evaluating needs versus resources, and then decide where they can make the most impact.
Branded and sponsored content is growing, melding the worlds of journalism and entertainment with advertising and marketing. It’s a complicated landscape, but if done honestly – by allowing users/ consumers to tell the story – it can be very impactful.
Similarly, the “Internet of Things” isn’t a new topic, but certainly a continuously fascinating and inspiring one. How to integrate technology into our lives, beyond staring at a multitude of screens all day, and how brands might blend into that world while still staying authentic (i.e. not creepy).
5) I believe that consumers don’t want to interact with brands as much as brands think they do. Sometimes, the brands that have the most restraint are the ones that have the biggest impact. I am not sure how much the award shows truly reward the best work – the campaigns that bring craftsmanship and effectiveness together in a unique, truthful way.
If I had to pick one, Honda’s “The Other Side” would be my first choice. It’s an ingeniously simple idea, yet difficult to execute, and one that made me feel something. Everyone talks about innovation, technology, and channel planning. Honda proves that it would be far more effective to focus on content, storytelling, and doing something well.
6) There is a lot of talk about virtual reality and mixed reality as a new frontier for brands, and it will continue into 2016. However, when it comes to ads and branded content, the model for integration remains to be seen.
While there’s no shortage of new technologies and platforms, the biggest effect of these newcomers will be how they inform our perspective on existing, large digital players (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google, etc.). For instance, how does Periscope inform how we communicate within Twitter? Oculus for Facebook? And the most important challenge inherent in all of this is – how do we continue to let the idea lead, instead of the technology? How do we make the experiences feel simple and seamless?
Jim Geib, president/executive producer, Twist
1) One of the most significant trends is the continued resurgence of the in-house production company. Many agencies have made serious commitments to the revitalization of these in-house entities well beyond post. This seems to be partly fueled by budget [with unrealistic expectations put on packaging multi-legged campaigns], and in part by a modern view of individuals as multidisciplinary artists. A creative and fairly capable person might be able to helm an entire project from concept to completion—especially with other like minded collaborators. At the onset, these production legs attempt to be more insular, but fortunately for people on the outside, a varied point of view will always be valuable to agencies and clients. Hopefully the Agency-Production Companies will spawn more rich partnerships to keep that varied production pool and new talent rich and working.
3) We do a lot of experiential work via Tomato, so I have my eye on anything those types of projects and think they’re extremely successful at blending advertising and entertainment. There certainly have been several meaningful campaigns I could give kudos to, but I’ll tip my hat to comedy this time around. I thought the Allstate Orange Bowl work Leo Burnett did was very effective. Any time an audience can participate in shaping and driving the experience, it’s also a win for our industry. That campaign engaged social media and even network television plus it married a live event to some very comic footage – – all the while staying relevant to the product. It’s also rare to be manipulated and still think it’s funny.
4) New delivery systems for content are still a growth segment for the industry. Personally, with so much material for people to consume, we’ll finish the year continuing to explore ways to share our relevant work. We want to have it accessible and package our marketing materials in a relevant way, but it’s pretty challenging when a lot of it goes beyond broadcast. Gone are the days of just playing the reel to tell the whole story.
Bob Giammarco, CEO, aE|media
1) The evolving labels each business takes on will continue to shift. I find the simultaneous consolidation and separation trends very interesting. On the consolidation side, there’s the not so new trend of large agency networks becoming production/post production companies as well as the more recent multi discipline production/post production companies like mine taking assignments directly from brands. But while all of that is happening, there are many small creative groups cropping up that are challenging the traditional model by actively seeking out roles that were traditionally frowned upon: not being an AOR, or not offering the phalanx of services big agencies typical offer. The lesson: expect change and be nimble. The notion of “that’s the way we’ve always done it” has never been more irrelevant than it is today.
2) All of our brands have turned out great work this year however my personal favorites would be audioEngine’s work on Budweiser “Lost Dog” and New Balance “Storm”, Hey Beautiful Jerk’s work on the most recent Midas golden hand campaign, KIND’s work for “Bernnie & Phyl’s” and Shout it Out Loud Music’s work for Benjamin Moore which was part of a Silver Lion winning campaign.
4) At aE|Media, we were fortunate to have the best first quarter in our history and overall, a strong first half of the year. The 3rd quarter is off to a great start with CVK, Hey Beautiful Jerk and KIND all starting new projects so I’m upbeat on our prospects for the year. That said, as I believe it is for everyone, that will not be without it’s challenges. Downward pricing pressure at all brands continues to challenge our margin performance. Slow payment practices, which have been rampant in our industry since I entered it in 1990, continue to be a major source of frustration as we’re forced to become interest free financing for other businesses; deploying or credit for operations as opposed to growth.
Bonnie Goldfarb, co-founder/executive producer, harvest films
2) Shalom Auslander’s Happyish speaks to our business with an honesty and fearlessness that I quite enjoy. Steve Coogan breathes life into Thom, and Shalom’s writing is smart and can only carry it’s point of view and frankness from someone who’s lived in the ad world. I find the show bold and I’d love to try a narrative like this from the production company’s perspective.
4) We are in the midst of witnessing (and living in) some of the greatest transitions modern humanity has experienced; think along the lines of the Industrial Revolution in the mid 1700’s, early 1800’s. The creative climate is exploding and the boundaries of how we create messages are endless, along with the way we exchange goods, money, love, etc. As we emerge from the largest recession in modern U.S. history, millennials don’t want to own shit, boomers want to get rid of their shit and everyone in between is struggling to get shit they can’t afford. The second half of this year will trend towards higher interest rates, an election where money (from undisclosed sources) buys media coverage and consumers fight for higher minimum wages. Creative integrity and honesty is everything moving forward and our playing field yields no boundaries.
5) Advertisers are niche, targeting consumers more than ever and are attempting to speak to extremely specific gender and age ranges. Armed with the ability to track peoples purchases, clicks and latest trends, corporations are using these matrixes to develop very specific devices to reach those narrow slices within our overall population. On a rare occasion, we get to see a great idea cut through these specific targets and appeal to everyone regardless of gender, ethnicity and/or age.
Steve Humble,
EVP/managing director integrated production & development, The Martin Agency
1) The maker movement seems to be taking over agencies: more and more are adding in-house production services. In a market like Richmond, we have added capabilities over the years to give people a chance to be on the road less, all while being able to move more quickly to keep up with client needs. I have heard from friends that this is now common at agencies in the bigger production markets as well. I don’t see this totally replacing the traditional production company model, but it is going to take market share, which will have an effect over time on the service level that agencies and clients are used to getting from these production companies.
3) In this day and age, content is virtually at our fingertips. Platforms now exist so that people can watch content when they want, where they want – whether that be their tablet, phone, or computer. Usually, the only price to be paid was being forced to watch part of an ad before getting the chance to hit the SKIP button. The Martin Agency’s GEICO Unskippable work changed the game. These ads were not only packed with hilarious content, but by embracing the media, consumer habits, and frustrations, we were able to get people to do what every preroll ad before it wanted: full viewer engagement, all the way to the end.
5) I was sitting in the Palais on the last night of Cannes, watching the work of the Gold and Grand Prix Lions winners, and found myself laughing only a handful of times. This wasn’t a reflection of the quality of the comedic work that was submitted, it was just that there simply wasn’t as much of it. From Derek Jeter’s tearful farewell, to the slew of women’s empowerment spots, down to the technology being implemented on coasts to protect sharks and Aussie beach-goers, it seems that advertisers and agencies weren’t using comedy as often this year to communicate their messages. I am not sure if this more serious tone will continue in 2015, but I hope to laugh more next year in France.
Chad Hutson, president/EP, Leviathan
1) Agencies have continued to build up their own production and post departments, though surprisingly so have some brands, so integrated production companies are really starting to feel the pinch of less agency work. But to turn that around, there has been a lot more direct-to-brand work coming into production houses. Increasingly, agencies aren’t always the agency-of-record, and instead have to compete for individual assignments (just like production companies). Additionally, new platforms incorporating content and interactivity such as VR are giving rise to more “specialists”; it’s the sort of work that brands or agencies don’t yet want to invest in heavily, so those groups hold the keys (for a while).
My point: A lot of client-direct work is up for grabs, and agencies won’t always be the sole gatekeepers.
2) Even though it’s not commercially widespread yet, the words on many advertisers’ lips in 2015 have been Virtual Reality. Content creators are no doubt cautious about investing in the talent, hardware and software in order to support these sorts of projects (remember 3D TVs?), but VR entertainment is being rolled out in a variety of platforms and it can’t be ignored for long. Look at the cool work Samsung has done with Marvel in the virtual space, or the fact that Google just won big at Cannes with its Cardboard mobile platform. Anyone who has worked in this medium will tell you it’s challenging, but if you want to be a player in the game, start experimenting now or risk getting left behind.
6) We’ve already worked heavily in “immersive entertainment” such as full-dome projection experiences and the Oculus Rift, so we’ll continue to experiment further with similar technologies. But more than any software or hardware, we’re going to be investing in talent. The right folks for us are smart, resourceful and creative enough to adapt to most any emerging technologies.
Alaster Jordan, partner/editor, Whitehouse Post
1) I think the most significant “trend” right now, is the absence of trends. Everything is changing almost on a day-by-day basis, and companies in every sector of our industry are changing shape and structure to try and stay relevant. The old model of companies that do one specific thing be it production, audio, editing or finishing, has become too limiting, both creatively and financially.
2) One of the most pertinent pieces of work I’ve seen lately is a short that one of our editors, Ethan Mitchell, cut for VS Magazine. Called “Aspirational” it features Kirsten Dunst waiting for an Uber, while being “selfied” by a couple of girls who have no interest in actually talking to her. It’s a lovely idea, directed and pitched at just the right level, by Matthew Frost. A cute little comment on our times and society.
3) I found the work showcased at the Next Awards in New York last month to be some of the most interesting stuff I’ve seen for a while. Probably my (and a lot of others) favorite is the Allstate “Social Savvy Burglar” extravaganza. It is a fantastic idea, somehow both simple and complex, that was executed in such a well-thought-out and fully committed manner. It’s a very brave piece of work from a very smart client.
4) The second half of 2015 could well be a little more compelling than the first half, which was clearly affected by some seemingly distant issues (harsh winter on the east coast, port strikes on the west coast etc.). When the economic climate is uncertain, the major brands tend to play it safe with their creative output and as confidence rises with the economy, the ideas tend to open up again. The Super Bowl this year was hugely disappointing, with so many big brands having small ideas and going down the emotive, tug at your heartstrings route. Made me want to puke.
5) There are definitely a few great spots picking up gongs, such as Geico “Unskippable”, McDonald’s “Team Gol!”, Powerade “Nico”, and the HBO Go spots; but overall the nominations and winners reflect what I already said about the amount of emotive (or trying to be) ideas. Of the six spots nominated for the Emmy, four are clearly trying to make someone cry. There is a worrying lack of great brave comedy spots, both in the awards and on our screens, and those that we have come from very few sources.
6) We have spent and will continue to spend vast amounts of money on every area of our technical infrastructure. Upgrading Avids, replacing storage systems, render farms, new Flames, Flare, software licenses et cetera et cetera. It’s endless and expensive and not much fun to talk about. What is exciting to me is our advances in remote systems. With so many editors in 5 different cities we do a lot of remote sessions, so we’ve designed and built a holographic projection system. This means that clients in say, our New York office, working with an editor in our LA office actually see that editor projected in 3D in the chair in New York. It’s incredible really.
Tammie Kleinmann, CEO, Lucky 21
1) The biggest shift on the production front is the variety and amount of assets we have to create on a given shoot. We are not just in the broadcast production business; we develop a multitude of curated elements—from stills to motion media—for a myriad of mediums, from web to cinema to mobile. On a brand front, it is essential to provide creative continuity to projects, which are nearly always multi-platform. From a production stance, it’s an invigorating creative opportunity and a massive responsibility.
2) I’m sure I am not alone in saying I am most excited by VR. For the right story, it transports audiences and places them in the middle of new, distant, unreachable or overlooked experiences. Documentary projects—branded or otherwise – are perfect for this new way of seeing—and by that I mean really taking things in, traveling to places you couldn’t otherwise go, feeling a part of a process you hadn’t thought about before, or embracing a moment that inspires and educates humanity.
3) The first VR project I saw was Walking New York by VRSE, directed by Chris Milk and Zach Richter. It takes viewers on a journey from an artist studio to 1,000 feet above the streets of NYC – I really felt the depth and height, but more importantly I felt connected to this artist’s process of creating this large-scale photograph for the cover of the New York Times Magazine. It was part brand film and part documentary. It was also incredibly smart (bold?) for The New York Times—a newspaper founded in 1851 that used the newest in new media to show how a print cover was crafted.
4) The required amount of assets on any one given project will demand more stealth and nimble approaches to production. We need to be flexible, and completely prepared for shifting and expanding requests. It begins with communication and trust – that’s always been the case but the pace is faster and busier than ever. And I think that’s here to stay.
Ralph Laucella,
founding partner/executive producer, O Positive
1) While there is a lot of interesting work out there, I think the integrated campaign AllState and Leo Burnett Chicago produced – #MayhemSale – was a great example of the power of social media pushing the issue of oversharing to the foreground. There is definitely a wave of socially conscientious work out there and social media is a powerful way to distribute this content.
2) I have two daughters, and the Always #LikeAGirl film really appealed to the father in me. It was a great piece that took what was an age-old put-down and transformed it into the champion of compliments.
3) SS+K’s HBO GO “Awkward Family Viewing” campaign was a great hybrid of advertising and entertainment. It communicated the brand message – the ability to watch your favorite entertainment in a setting of your choice—in an extremely entertaining (and memorable) way. And the awards shows clearly agreed.
4) Well, the second half of 2015 is when all the Super Bowl work will go into production, so I’m going to optimistically forecast that we will be as busy as we normally are that time of year. That said, I personally can’t forecast a better pairing than when we had Danny Trejo with Steve Buscemi for last year’s Super Bowl.
5) I don’t know if you can pinpoint any particular creative trend. I mean, look at how diverse the recently-announced Emmy nominees are. The Gatorade send-off for Jeter has a very docu feel, and is very moving. Always #LikeAGirl is really a stake in the ground, and almost comes off as more of a public service than an ad. And our own Snickers spot is the only 30 second spot of all the nominees, and relied on great performances and some CG magic to create an offbeat comedic take on The Brady Bunch. (Personally, I go for the comedy.)
6) Camera assisted aerial and ground robotics have great potential. And VR is interesting, too. I think both speak to the kind of immersive advertising that appeals to today’s audience.
Andrew Laurich, director, ContagiousLA
1) I think there are two developments this year that have signaled a definitive de-coupling of quality and expense. First, the release of Vimeo’s “Cameo” app—which essentially allows you to shoot and edit cinematic videos on your iPhone—has shifted the focus from the social networking of video to production and editing. Secondly, Apple’s recent “Shot on an iPhone” campaign further legitimizes the smart phone as a capable capturing device. This blows the door wide open on the advertising industry, and incentivizes a global community of amateur filmmakers stripped free of fiscal restraint. I expect that brands will expand their portfolio of crowd-soucred briefs, and that we’ll see a more intimate relationship between commercial content and its target demographic.
3) It’s a slightly unique perspective on advertising, but my friend Rob Cantor’s “Shia LaBeouf Live” video (in which I had a small hand), is one of the more ingenious efforts in self-promotion. Ultimately, Rob set out to sell albums and ended up creating a name that has market value. Since its release, Rob has been approached by a variety of brands and agencies eager to work with him. Not that that response was entirely unintended. In fact, that’s its genius. Capitalizing on the Internet’s compulsion for absurdity and controversy, the video intentionally creates a farcical mythology around one of the most discussed and infamous celebrities. Its release—which coincided with Shia’s own PR blitz—not only resulted in a video that collected millions of views, but also became a relevant piece of pop culture. It speaks volumes in terms of considering a piece of content for more than its intrinsic entertainment value. There’s value to considering the social conversation.
5) I think there’s a lot of value right now in being self-reflexive — almost self-deprecating. The recent and highly awarded Geico campaign is a great example of this. I think consumers don’t want to feel like they’re being sold. So content that can authentically relate to its own purpose in a very comedic, self-aware way is really appealing. I’ve also noticed an increase in the number of smaller agencies and production companies getting recognition at awards shows. I think that speaks to a greater level of parity in advertising. Budgets are constricting and content is diversifying, so tinier companies are getting a bigger bite at the apple. Overall, I think that it’s great for the industry. It will bring more voices to the conversation. Bigger shops will have to become more nimble and flexible. But ultimately, I think that puts greater pressure on the quality of content. It raises the bar.
Blaine Lifton, CEO, Free Enterprise LLC
1) There are two trends that I would point to as significant now and going forward. First, issue-oriented advertising is becoming more pervasive. It started with eco-friendly and health-conscious promotions and has now extended to topics like gay rights and female empowerment. Advertising has always been a kind of mirror of society, but in a very cautious and overly deliberative way. It’s refreshing to see more boldness in our business.
The second significant trend is user-generated content. The increasing use of creative material provided by ordinary folks has put a very interesting and credible spin on marketing. In some ways, it has become a kind of “anti-Madison Avenue” approach to advertising. I think consumers are quite drawn to it.
2) As far as others’ work, I would say that Apple and Geico continue to hit the ball out of the park. While each of them takes a notable different approach to their marketing, they both have something in common—the simplicity of their messages. I love it when a simple message is repeatedly presented in different yet consistently brilliant ways.
As far as our own work, we have found significant reward in our work with real people testimonials. A clear message embedded in a credible, entertaining testimonial is a powerful marketing tool. And it can be used with equal effectiveness across all media platforms.
3) The continuing dramatic rise in the use of the web as the medium of choice has forced marketers to try to figure out exactly how to reach this growing audience. The fact that this audience seems to have a greater incidence of Attention Deficit only makes the challenge more difficult. While the answer still seems to elude most marketers, I do think some of them are exploring fertile turf. First, anytime you can use other media to drive an audience online to tell a richer story you are engaged in a degree of marketing efficiency. Second, I love Geico’s attempt to preempt the desire to “skip this ad” with their wacky pre-roll experiment. I think we’ll see more cleverness in that arena.
4) I strongly believe that social issues and user-generated content will become quite prevalent in the foreseeable future. Believe it or not, most consumers have a genuine interest in the social topics that we see everyday in the news. Issues like gay rights, female empowerment, domestic abuse, poverty, education and childhood obesity are important to enough people that they can’t help but command attention when addressed in a marketing environment. And more often than not, a company that puts a stake in the ground on one or more of these issues ends up realizing tangible and intangible benefits.
As far as user-generated content, I’ll repeat what I said in answer to an earlier question. The increasing use of creative material provided by ordinary folks has put a very interesting and credible spin on marketing. In some ways, it has become a kind of “anti-Madison Avenue” approach to advertising. I think consumers are quite drawn to it.
5) As always, this year’s award winners are on the cutting edge of their respective industries. Every year they become a kind of weather vane to tell everybody else which way the wind is blowing. It’s the nature of any creative business — there are trailblazers and there’s everybody else.
6) On the technology side, our interests are primarily in the area of video production and postproduction. We’ve made intensive efforts to upgrade our editorial software. What we are able to accomplish in terms of graphics and visual effects would have been unfathomable a few short years ago. We’ve also tried to consciously keep up with advancements in hardware. Tools like the MoVI Stabilizer have allowed us to capture wonderful Steadicam-like imagery in a very economical manner.
