Advertising

Today Russell Davies was at the 10th anniversary of CCP (the Creative Club of Portugal). His presentation was pretty much i was waiting for, but it’s always interesting to meet and hear someone you admire as a blogger and as a planner.

Photo credits: Russell Davies

At the end, i realized that most of the things that were presented have been around for as much as the CCP has existed. As i shared with Russell, a substantial part of the future of advertising has been written 10 years ago, on the remarkable Cluetrain Manifesto.

For instance, on the four main topics discussed:

1. Blurry How media and creativity are no longer clearly defined
   Thesis #6, 19 and 39, are some examples of this blurriness. 11, 31 and 93 would fit also.

   The Internet is enabling conversations among human beings that were simply not possible in the era of mass media.
   
   People in networked markets have figured out that they get far better information and support from one another than from vendors. So much for corporate rhetoric about adding value to commoditized products.
   
   Companies must ask themselves where their corporate cultures end.

2. Interesting (on creating engaging experiences)
   This one’s easy: 75.
   
   If you want us to talk to you, tell us something. Make it something interesting for a change.
3. Useful (being useful to people and providing branded utilities)
   Next one, #76:
   
   We’ve got some ideas for you too: some new tools we need, some better service. Stuff we’d be willing to pay for. Got a minute?
   
   or on a more lighter tone, #22:
   
   Getting a sense of humor does not mean putting some jokes on the corporate web site. Rather, it requires big values, a little humility, straight talk, and a genuine point of view.
4. Always in Beta (and how software ethos is reinventing marketing and creativity)
   Starting with #17 and ending with thesis #84:
   
   Companies that assume online markets are the same markets that used to watch their ads on television are kidding themselves.
   
   We know some people from your company. They’re pretty cool online. Do you have any more like that you’re hiding? Can they come out and play?

What really puzzles me is how 10 years have passed but companies still don’t get it? More worrisome, is that by looking at the audience of young creatives in the room, it really scared me that most of these folks aren’t immersed on the tools and new kind of dialog that will be their job for the next decade.

Let’s hope CCP and other industry groups have the courage to question traditional media and embrace networked markets and conversations. Once this happens, i’ll subscribe to their membership.