Expect to see more social media, viral video and data-driven campaigns from the big 25 U.S. advertisers and less emphasis on television and print in 2014. This consensus comes from a new annual survey of senior agency and advertiser production and business affairs executive from Talent Partners, the leader in talent and production support services for more than 750 agency and advertiser clients representing 1,500 brands.
The Talent Partners’ 2014 Trends in Production Survey looked at a host of areas important to the creative decision makers in the advertising industry, from the greatest growth areas in production, the up-and-coming global destinations for shoots, issues of concern regarding rights management and some things from the lighter side, including their favorite guilty pleasures on the catering table on a set.
“Emerging digital platforms and data are driving a new era for the advertising industry,” states Paul Muratore, President and CEO of Talent Partners. “There’s also great growth on the global front, with U.S. advertisers increasing their overseas production and foreign agencies bringing their work stateside. The results of our survey reflect this growth and mindfulness on the part of advertisers to be buttoned up, when it comes to securing the proper rights and making payments.”
The Talent Partners 2014 Trends in Production Survey was conducted between January and April 2014, with a proprietary list of 50 senior executives in charge of production, business affairs and talent at the top 25 leading U.S. agencies and advertisers. Here are the results:
Which areas do you foresee the greatest growth in commercial production in 2014?
Social media driven campaigns (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram) are the tops with these senior agency production executives with 44% of the vote. Thirty percent say viral video will be the biggest growth area, followed by interactive/data-driven efforts (20%) and television (6%). Though it was a suggested choice, none of the senior executive foresaw the greatest growth in print campaigns.
More global production, South America the new hot spot!
According to the Talent Partners survey, 35% of agencies foresee a growth in foreign production this year vs. 9% who says they expect less (56% expect their foreign production to remain the same). For those expecting growth, South America is the hottest destination for foreign shoots (59%), followed by Canada (18%), Europe (17%) and Asia (6%).
When working with a celebrity to create a campaign, which is better – a live one or the estate of a dead one?
For the growing popularity of ads using departed icons like Sinatra and Marilyn, agencies would much rather work with a live one, the choice of 81% of the senior advertising execs polled.
What’s the key benefit of a campaign using a classic, though now deceased icon?
The best part about working with the estate of a dead celeb seems to have nothing to do with their star power! According to the Talent Partners’ survey, it’s “that you can work with them virtually, that there’s no need for a shoot or to meet them” or their on-the-set demands (67%). Twenty-three percent say “it’s the strength of their image and built-in consumer appeal” while 10% say it comes down to morals – “the fact that they won’t be able to do something that will tarnish their image.”
The advertising industry is increasingly driven by data. Is this a good trend from a creative’s point of view?
Forty-one percent of respondents see the focus on data as a positive, one that “helps us create messages that better resonate with our target audiences.” On the other hand, 20% felt it was a negative, “one that limits creativity.” Thirty-nine percent thought it was neither good nor bad.
Event Advertising – Will it grow?
Event advertising, custom creative tagged to spectaculars like the Super Bowl and Academy Awards, will likely remain the same, according to 67% of the senior creatives surveyed by Talent Partners. Twenty-six foresee an increase, while 7% predict a decrease.
What are the biggest hurdles you face in managing rights and royalties for commercials?
As the advertising industry’s go-to firm for specialized payroll and rights, Talent Partners’ survey queried senior agency executives on their biggest concern in this area, one being complicated with new provisions from SAG-AFTRA and growth of production on emerging digital platforms. The ad communities greatest concern is “a system to track rights and royalties” (32%), followed by “using an asset without having the rights“ (30%), “new areas where there is the most risk” (30%) and “determining who is responsible for/the proper rights holder” (8%).
What’s your favorite “guilty pleasure” found on the crafts services table at a shoot?
Candy is king, when it comes to the guilty pleasures found at the crafts service table during a commercial shoot, for 40% of the respondents. Bagels and danish finished second, in a dead heat, each with 18 % of the tally. Dentists will love that 16% choose chewing gum, leaving only 8% of these advertising industry veterans reaching for the mini-boxes of breakfast cereals on a shoot!
About Talent Partners
In its nearly 50-year history, Talent Partners has grown from a specialty payroll company focused on commercial talent to a powerhouse provider of more than 125 essential services, including talent negotiations and business affairs, traffic and clearance, rights and royalty management, signatory services, and more. The firm’s 750+ client roster includes 23 of the Top 25 largest U.S. advertising agencies and 23 of the Top 25 largest U.S. advertisers. The company’s 250+ person staff provides round-the-clock services from offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, London and Toronto. www.talentpartners.com
