The passing of Steve Jobs has elicited numerous testimonials to his genius, his innovation, his historical impact on society, and in our corner of the world his prowess as a master marketer and his lofty standing as the client whom every agency dreams of having.
His innovations made his competitors better, striving to keep up with Apple and Pixar. His marketing and advertising set the bar high, causing other agencies and clients to reach for a creative elevation many of them might not have tried for otherwise.
Now with Jobs’ death, it’s our choice whether or not to be lifted by his legacy and to keep it alive. Understandably, there has been much written about the void, particularly at Apple, left by Jobs. And arguably that void exists on a level that transcends any single company. At a time when job creation seems a lost art, Jobs represented what used to be American staples–innovation, the creation of products and goods that translated into employment not only at a company but at that company’s competitors and in other newly created sectors (just ask those independent souls inventing apps for the iPad, for example).
While Jobs moved us into the future, his legacy hearkened back to the past, with Apple’s coattails lifting a generation, creating jobs worldwide and serving as fuel for the imaginative to create on their own, in turn helping to build livelihoods for untold others.
This is in sharp contrast to the other high-profile captains of industry who seem so prevalent today–the real estate magnates, the investment bankers, the merger and acquisition gurus, the dealmakers, the hostile takeover specialists, the stock and commodities speculators. This is by no means a blanket indictment of those in such pursuits or professions yet they are a far cry from Jobs. They aren’t for the most part creating product which in turn generates jobs. Many often seem to be “creating” wealth that barely yields a trickle.
To be sure, there are innovators out there whom we never hear of–and who too are building coattails that lift and inspire others. Which gets us back to that notion of it being our choice whether or not to continue Jobs’ legacy.
Geniuses like Jobs don’t grow on trees but it’s within our reach to plant seeds that can help bring about positive growth that resonates for people from a wide range of socioeconomic classes. I think, for example, of that much bandied about future prospect of ad agency diversification–with creatives at shops becoming involved with clients on another level to develop products and goods. We see and hear murmurs on those fronts, agencies for instance creating business units to create and develop digital products and other inventions.
Through my admittedly rose-colored glasses, I see the potential for the creative forces in our business–ad agencies and the production community–to not only create great advertising but also great products and innovations that require great advertising and marketing.
And perhaps those products and innovations will spur on a jobs creation dynamic that seems so elusive at the moment. And by creating quality jobs, we will be paying homage to a master creator named Jobs.
Trump Asks Supreme Court To Delay TikTok Ban
President-elect Donald Trump asked the Supreme Court on Friday to pause the potential TikTok ban from going into effect until his administration can pursue a "political resolution" to the issue.
The request came as TikTok and the Biden administration filed opposing briefs to the court, in which the company argued the court should strike down a law that could ban the platform by Jan. 19 while the government emphasized its position that the statute is needed to eliminate a national security risk.
"President Trump takes no position on the underlying merits of this dispute. Instead, he respectfully requests that the Court consider staying the Act's deadline for divestment of January 19, 2025, while it considers the merits of this case," said Trump's amicus brief, which supported neither party in the case and was written by D. John Sauer, Trump's choice for solicitor general.
The argument submitted to the court is the latest example of Trump inserting himself in national issues before he takes office. The Republican president-elect has already begun negotiating with other countries over his plans to impose tariffs, and he intervened earlier this month in a plan to fund the federal government, calling for a bipartisan plan to be rejected and sending Republicans back to the negotiating table.
He has been holding meetings with foreign leaders and business officials at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida while he assembles his administration, including a meeting last week with TikTok CEO Shou Chew.
Trump has reversed his position on the popular app, having tried to ban it during his first term in office over national security concerns. He joined the TikTok during his 2024 presidential campaign and his team used it to connect with younger... Read More