There are two competing philosophies in our industry at present, which might be summed up in two popular adages:
“everything changes,”
or, my preferred,
“The more things change, the more they stay the same.”
We’ve seen in recent years the exponential growth and use of data, and the rapid development of new digital platforms.
The mistake some have made is to see these new technologies as being a replacement for, or in opposition to, the basic pre-requisite of successful brand building. Creativity.
Wiser heads have seen that, used smartly, they actually enable new creative possibilities.
A great example of that is our advertising Crème de la Crème. ‘Volvo Live Reviews.’ People were secretly filmed praising the car during test drives and, literally minutes later, these became quotes on billboards.
It’s a brilliant idea, in my view under rewarded in many shows, which could only happen through a combination of technology and creativity.
None of which is to say that we can stop being brilliant at posters, TV and cinema and all the rest. I didn’t choose Volvo because it used tech. I chose it because I think it is a brilliant creative solution. I could as easily have picked a radio ad: and indeed one - ‘The Game That Never Was’ - came very close.
To use yet another adage, we need to have, amongst our people “the best of both worlds.”