Monday 24 March 2008

Does my RSS look big in this?

16 comments:

  1. I hate preso's like this ...

    ... does this make me a grumpy ol' man?

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  2. Well I have to say Yes Rob because I wrote a presentation and presented it only last week which said the same thing and even had a guy with a megaphone to emphasize the shift from monologue to dialogue.

    Anyway come come. I think a person should present their presentation before making an opinion of it. There's a few slides that I'm not sure what the point is!

    Anyway. Do tell us what you like in a presentation or what's wrong with this one because we only learn if you share it 'old boy' ;)

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  3. Hahahaha ... thank you for telling me as it is.

    It's not that there's anything overly wrong with it [though it's a tad try-hard in it's presentation style for my liking] it's that the viewpoint is rather old it's just been wrapped up with fresher examples to make it look more relevant.

    I know this either makes me look [1] a grumpy fuck [2] a know it all [3] a twat [4] all of the above ... but I want to be challenged, not just told what I already know even if some of the examples are recent.

    Go on, kick me - I deserve it ...

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  4. Haha. Rob, you're dead-on. Really. I am very surprised at how it has spread for those exact same reasons.

    That's why in my description/caption copy over on my blog where this all took off from I said, "If you follow the plannersphere and other social media and marketing blogs, then this probably won't be much new, but it might connect the conversations a little more. Or maybe not."

    And I never would have given this presentation to a room full of planners. Especially planners who follow/write/read all the planner blogs. No way in hell I'd do that. I'd get laughed out of the room for exactly the reason you said - challenge me, don't tell me something I already know.

    So you have the back story, the presentation was given to my agency over lunch in a 10 to 15-minute "here are some things going on you should know about in the area of marketing and advertising." Most of the people in attendance don't necessarily follow what's going on at a bigger picture level as far as marketing goes.

    Being a digital shop, I'd say between 60% and 70% of the audience was made up of project managers, techs, developers and programmers. They're all incredibly smart at what they do and blow me away with their talent, but they don't always know the bigger picture of why take the approach we do. They just make it happen perfectly.

    All of our senior managers, creatives, account teams and planners are having the same reaction as you and I... "Really? This is spreading like that?"

    But for whatever reason, it's taking off a bit and if that helps get more people on the same page as the rest of us, then why not?

    Thanks for saying it like it is. I'm just glad you're not saying it's full of sh*t. Haha.

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  5. PS - Your RSS looks great, Charles. Ha! I did send you the examples of what I was talking about, right?

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  6. I still feel a complete bastard Paul - but if it's any consolation, you have a go on your blog about an ad I was involved with and your comments are pretty bang on, though to be sort-of fair to myself [or an attempt to not feel too much shame, ha] I did say some similar comments when I wrote about the spot myself

    http://robcampbell.wordpress.com/2008/03/06/schhhh-you-dont-know-who/

    Only thing I'd say in my defense is what one of your fellow commentators said, it was created to motivate desire towards Schweppes drinks, not their advertising channels - but that still doesn't excuse the fact it's pretty much an executional strategy rather than a fundamental brand direction.

    Still, hopefully that will all change now I'm not involved in it anymore, haha!

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  7. Hi Paul. Yes I did get the examples and all I could think was Wow. Your RSS looks really HUGE on that blog.

    I really like the point you make that the digital folk in your agency don't always understand why you ask for what you do.

    Great insight into Digital I think.

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  8. Haha! That karma's a bitch, isn't it.

    Nah. Like I said several times in that post, the Schweppes ad is phenomenal as far as ads go. If it weren't, I wouldn't have gone hunting for more Schweppervescence.

    And having worked on Coors Light for a bit a few years ago when they were moving to a positioning around cold refreshment, I know what a bugger coming up with ideas around that space can be. Especially when you're a light American beer.

    I just couldn't believe they don't have ANY (caps for emphasis, not yelling) web presence in Australia. Especially if they're trying to reposition. I still can't believe it. If that were my marketing budget, the spot would have waited until the site was built. But hey, I didn't have a say. Haha.

    Oh, and I've got a response to that comment you referenced. I've been holding it back to see what others say first though. The way I have it written now, it could be a conversation stopper and I don't want to discourage comments. I'll let off him a little bit. But his snarky comment deserves a little sting.

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  9. Hey Charles,

    Yeah, I guess that is a bit of an insight into digital. But I'd say it's the same in any agency situation really. Just the departments/roles are different based on the media execution.

    Your account service, planning, media and creatives probably see the bigger picture in most agencies. (I'd say all, but we know that's not true. There are plenty who don't get it.)

    But at more traditional shops, how many people in production, print buying/print production management, broadcast production, project management, etc. know why they're doing the things they are vs. that it's their job so they just do it and like it because agencies are a fun place to work?

    I'm not trying to be an arse and say we're better/smarter. We just have different areas of expertise. It's not their job to know these things to the level we do and it's not my job to know how to do what they do either.

    When our tech guys gave these same "what's next" presentations they were demoing physics engines and all kinds of crazy stuff that blew my mind. They could tell you exactly how it was built and what it was capable of but all I could say was, "wow, that's pretty damn cool!"

    Anyway... I've got to go find another one of Rob's ads to take a jab or two at. Haha.

    I joke. I kid. I really liked it Rob. Don't feel bad...

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  10. Go for it Paul, VB is begging for a slag off, ha!

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  11. Paul, I'm being paranoid - but which 'comment' are you talking about going on an all-out-attack about?

    I haven't balls up again have I?

    And as for your comment that people in print production etc don't feel part of the big picture - I agree, but not at all agencies/companies - I know I can honestly say that everyone we work with shares the development, production and success because without it, we could never compete.

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  12. I'm dying over here, Rob. Thanks for the laugh.

    You're safe from my wrath. Balls covered.

    Yes, the print production, etc. folks... didn't mean they don't feel as though they're not part of the success. Not at all. By all means, everyone does at nearly every agency I have worked at thus far. What I was trying to say was I don't know that they always know why we use the strategies we do on the projects they work on every day. So, they execute the print ad, but might not know why we're doing the print ad instead of going with a TV spot. Or, they may know why we're doing the ads but not the strategy and insights that drove the idea. Does that make more sense? It's late and words aren't coming so well. Must mean I should go to sleep now...

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  13. Yes. I've been having a bit of a chuckle with the rapido comments on this post.

    Balls up is a new one on me ha ha :)

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  14. You don't know what you've been missing then Charles ;)

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  15. Working in the ad industry Charles i thought you'd be wella cquainted with the balls up.

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