9 Comments

I wonder why there were no women on this panel of Industry Leaders. Not one. Not even any birds in the trees. I expect they were all at home tidying their nests.
Julie-anne edwards
2009-11-24 14:16:09

Its a pretty dismal oversight which implies there are are no female leading figures in the industry. Anytime you want to put a female think tank panel together Julie-Anne you are most welcome to contact me via the Scarlet Opus website.
Victoria Redshaw
2009-11-24 14:43:50

Absolutly, Julie-anne. Incredible. I cannot believe there's no women in that "so masculine talented" table.
vicente reyes
2009-11-24 14:44:34

@Julie-Anne, Victoria, Vicente

I should point out that CR's only involvement in this panel was that I acted as moderator - we did not put it together. However, I could have raised this point with the organisers beforehand, I admit. If I am involved in future Think Tank panels, I will endeavour to make sure that the participants are more representative.
 PatrickBurgoyne
2009-11-24 15:24:03

I thought the same thing re. women - before i then read everyones comments so i won't repeat!

Everyone spoke a lot about the value of measures - surely you can't answer that question without knowing what you're using the communications for? i.e looking at how it adds value for the brand or business in question? Good creative solutions (on any medium) start with good objectives and well defined briefs. What would be a more interesting question is whether those objectives and briefs have changed at all in digital world?

Definitely agree creativity is still as important as ever - probably more so in a fragmented digital world. And
advertising still has a role - although no one can ignore the shift (or split) in attention from telly to laptop, from walking down the street to reading an iphone on route...etc etc.
Fiona
2009-12-23 14:40:14

A somewhat related (yet different) perspective on what a "Think Tank" department would do for an advertising agency is properly introduced in this article: http://realvision.ae/blog/2009/12/why-advertising-agencies-need-a-think-tank-department/
The emphasis is on having an idea generation group, that is not necessarily the creative team (who are not always on the bleeding edge of whats new in technology trends). This Think tank Dept. thus shares ideas with the Creative dept. to flesh out ad campaigns or marketing campaigns that are geared toward what advertising will be in the coming decade 2010 onwards.

Best Wishes.
clyde
2009-12-29 20:04:04

Steve makes a good point. However, I don't think advertising is dead.

The people who make good advertising just aren't heading any of the companies that make it.

Mediocrity has emerged King from the last decade. A look around the table will show you that. Even D&AD has been peddling it. Tony Davidson is our only hope now.

Think tank departments? Yet more people who assume creative-type roles but will share none of the responsibility. Is it just planners trying to create a future for themselves in this business?

These people who float around agencies doing nothing. Accountable for nothing. Gets my goat.
Devilgate
2010-01-08 15:31:47

Best wishes with the brain storming session :)
Bill
2010-01-10 20:21:06

Not sure why my comment was deleted, but again I guess the future of advertising doesn't include people of color. Sad
Chuck Welch
2010-01-13 17:18:08

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