Why Ad Agencies Shouldn’t Buy Digital Media Ads and Placements

According to @Adage, the rest of 2010 and beyond is going to be led by digital media buys from ad agencies. Sure, this is not good for print and radio media. But it’s even worse for ad agencies.

To really see why, we have to understand the evolution of advertising. Back in the day, the media was owned by William Randy Hearst. He was the only person who had a relationship with the public. If you wanted to talk to the people, you had to pay the piper.

He, through his political and editorial voice, won the trust, interest, and ear of the people. He developed rapport with the public.

The agency world has become so used to the role of court jester that they cannot imagine themselves as king

Then, you had all the creative maverick types who couldn’t possibly work under such a tyrant. They became the court jesters who tried to sneak out inside jokes by the king.

The agency world has become so used to the role of court jester that they cannot imagine themselves as king. They buy media placements from Google, Facebook, Engadget and any other high traffic blog because they cannot possibly imagine owning a direct relationship with the public. With all their catch-phrase, slogan, and trademark spawning creativity, they cannot imagine how to directly create rapport with the public.

All they’d have to do to stop paying the piper his column inch price, is engage the public directly instead of letting a writer like Dear Abby, hired by the piper, do the piping.

When’s the last time @adage replied to you?

To build your own targeted community, all you need to do is throw rice in the streets. Call 310 598 1606 or Message bob.wan.kim@gmail.com to talk about what flavor rice to use.

Posted via email from Social Media Marketing Strategies for the Closet Revolutionary