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Revision as of 21:46, 1 April 2008

Welcome to the Innovation Wiki at the University of Colorado

This wiki explores innovation in general and innovation in advertising and media in particular.

One of the basic questions that we ask is about advertising and, if it is supposed to be so innovative, then who and where are the innovative advertising agencies? This is the question that ADFREAK asks after looking at the list of the world's 50 most innovative companies: "Where are all the innovative ad agencies?" innovative Actually, two made the list anomaly/akqa. But where are Crispin and or Goodby, you might ask? And that leads to questions about the criteria for selection to the list.

Here are the agencies we started researching in class. Groups should post their information under each agency:

Wexley
More information about Wexley from our Group: The Wexley School for Girls demonstrates innovation by positioning themselves not an advertising agency, but an innovative media company. They state that their clients already have ���¢�¯�¿�½�¯�¿�½advertising agencies.���¢�¯�¿�½�¯�¿�½ They take on a different approach with clients by utilizing design. Seeking out all the touch-points, ie: packaging, posters, just plain cool promos, Wexley is able to use imagination, wild, risky ideas that normally would not be able to be communicated via traditional media. Therefore, Wexley takes on a more innovative approach by using design and fantasy as their platform. Their contribution to the innovative trend comes from their wacky ideas. In a world that is full of clutter and repetitive creative messages, Wexley is able to break through and make an impact with consumers.

Strawberry Frog
Our Life Story:
Our logo is a little red frog for a reason. StrawberryFrog is at the vanguard of the blossoming advertising scene, blazing a trail with unfettered energy, breakthrough strategy and creativity and fresh ideas. The buzzword is momentum. There's never been anything like it, and there still isn't, yet.

It all began Valentine's day 1999. We started off small, but we had a huge dream: the goal was to invent a totally new kind of communications agency, a flexible and daring place, a rare and wonderful creation - a StrawberryFrog.

Today, we are a global agency with some of the best talent in the business, located in offices in Amsterdam and New York. We do everything the world's leading clients need and want. We just do it differently than the dinosaurs.

We have received numerous top awards and honors, including being chosen as "The 25 Best Managed Companies" by the Wall Street Journal. And the work we do for our clients? It is regularly featured and discussed in some of the world's most respected media such as the Economist, Fortune, Businessweek, the New York Times, the Financial Times, and on the BBC, CNN, CBS and CNBC.

To learn more about how we think and live, visit our blog: http://strawberryfrog.typepad.com.

TAXI
St. Luke's

The goal of St. Luke's is to offer a profoundly different model of the advertising industry. Specifically, ethics and honesty will play a role. They have a concept in which they believe that the Total Role in Society (TRS) is something that must be considered in all campaigns and work. Environmentally, St. Luke's is a child of Chiat/Day. They broke off in order to avoid the traditional hierarchy and bureaucracy involved in many ad agencies. As such, the employees completely own the company. They strive to "be brave not beige."

Goodby, Silverstein & Partners
AKQA

Other Innovative Agencies for Reference:
R/GA
Big Spaceship
Hill|Holliday
Droga5
Digitas
Schematic
iCrossing
Deep Focus
Mother
Tribal DDB
M! (Modernista)
The Barbarian Group
Avenue A | Razorfish
Anomaly
6 Hat Method

Is the list flawed or do agencies need to change? And how would they change and why? The initial questions we asked were then answered.

Here are our results:

Client/Agency Relationship --The idea of co-creation of ideas by both the client and ad agency is essential in the changing world of advertising. Creating knowledge, ideas and value for both the client and its brand needs to be done with input from both parties. In a sense, the ad agency is becoming a strategy consultant. The pitch (remember this is a collaborative effort) to the client can be done with or without ideas. If ideas are not used in the pitch, the agency can explain how they plan on approaching the communication problem and what tactics or resources they are interested in using.

Business Model--Finding a way to apply a traditional business model to this new way of advertising is also essential. Pricing their services can be done by following a model similar to DDB Worldwide Communications Group. A pay for results would include a base fee, plus a small margin of the media budget along with performance-based incentives (ie, sales figures, brand awareness, customers shopping, ect.) For more on this, see: [1]

Future of Advertising (Organizationally & Executionally)--Consider Wexley School for Girls wexley and their concept of relish, which is another way of describing guerilla marketing, branded content, brnaded entertainment, non-traditional advertising, experimental marketing, experiential marketing, mobile content.... All of which brings us to the future of advertising, what it will be where, we will see it, how we will see it, and what it might be trying to do relative to brands. What we do know is that commercial messaging has developed far beyond what now seems to be overly simple dramatized arguments that tout benefits and features. Also see: mediabistro

Also, St. Lukes, for example, was formed through a revolution of sorts, and is based on a gospel of total ethics and common ownership story that is detailed in Fast Company St. Lukes St Lukes evolved from Chiat/Day which was one of the first agencies to attempt to abolish hierarchical decision making structures and executed breakthrough work, such as Apple's 1984 ad that redefined how we viewed the Super Bowl. 1984

In addition, Strawberry Frog was started in Amsterdam in 1999 by Scott Goodson, with another office opening in New York about three years ago. Goodson refused to accept the consolidation of so many agencies under 3 main holding companies. He didn't accept the stifling of creativity. So he started his own agency. The idea behind Strawberry Frog is that you don't have to be big to do well. According to Goodson, "You can be small, innovative and smart, and still do quite well." Strawberry Frog's structure is a bit different than bigger, traditional agencies. The agency was set up to create ideas, outsourcing other aspects, such as broadcast production and others, to the best in the business. This allows Strawberry Frog to remain small and efficient while still creating top-of-the-line work. Another difference in Strawberry Frog is that they prefer to create cultural movements around brands, rather 30-second spot centered campaigns.

http://www.usatoday.com/money/companies/management/2005-10-09-goodson-profile_x.htm

Techology--One approach to a consideration of the future of advertising is technology and what it now makes possible, particularly in regard to data collection and media. Articles of this sort on the future of advertising are not difficult to come by: foa.1. foa.2. As the Economist points out: "The advertising industry is passing through one of the most disorienting periods in its history. This is due to a combination of long-term changes, such as the growing diversity of media, and the arrival of new technologies, notably the internet. Consumers have become better informed than ever before, with the result that some of the traditional methods of advertising and marketing simply no longer work." Economist

Strawberry Frog Page

The Tribal DDB Page

TAXI Page

Goodby, Silverstein & Partners Page

NOTICE: For information on the Ten Faces of Innovation, see http://editthis.info/innovationclass/Ten_Faces_of_Innovation

    Timeline
    Manifesto