DSE 2009 - Same as it ever was?
Despite this year’s DSE being bigger and better than ever with more innovative applications and developments, it seems as if while the digital technology of delivering information is improving, the overall system philosophy (i.e. human element) is not.
As I sat in The Advertising Agency Perspective on the Digital Out-of-Home Industry, I was impressed with the panel and their forward-thinking ways of making digital advertising an attractive, lucrative venture for companies.
And although she didn’t speak much, I especially appreciated The Americas CEO Gwen Morrison who almost scolded the audience with her “quit whining” attitude (a direct quote), as well as her straight-from-the-hip perspective of why agencies aren’t quickly biting into the digital advertising realm.
Draft FCB Director of Creative Technology Michael Davis also offered sage perspectives, stating, “Agencies have to partner with [digital out-of-home media] in order to improve product development.”
In a nutshell, the panel was able to provide very thoughtful insights and predictions, however, no solid answers. This simply was not what the audience wanted to hear. They want simple solutions and simple answers to an industry that, well, is just not simple (back to the “quit whining” admonishment — which was great).
After digesting the seminar, I believe the challenge is two-pronged. First, as Davis pointed out, agencies have to partner with us to improve product development. But it goes further than that. Agencies also have to abandon their traditional compartmental departments where the left hand obviously completely misses the right hand and start working together. Account representatives need to push their media buyers of the value and effectiveness of digital signage, while creative needs assurance that their hard work will not be compromised in a digital medium.
Furthermore, everyone in the agencies need to work together and realize that print is not only costly, but stagnant. The ability to tweak digital advertising on a whim is ROI-worthy alone. If a campaign is working well in one region, but not another, digital has the ability to quickly and effectively fine tune a message — no other media can do that at this time.
So, the second-prong challenge? The digital signage industry — those selling systems and trying to secure advertisers — will be a main driving force in educating agencies of the value of digital signage. Additionally, because there is essentially no cost for placing an ad on a screen, those who came from a traditional “CPM” model need to not necessarily abandon it, but lower it significantly. Make the cost low enough to where an agency can’t NOT buy into it. As scheduling becomes tighter and ad space limited, the CPM will naturally increase.
No doubt, the problem does not lie in digital signage technology, it lies in the people. We have the opportunity to create something — to change how information, advertising included — is delivered. And this doesn’t just consist of placing content on a screen, this is redefining the whole basis of traditional media — from creative to media buys to relaying the final product to a focused, targeted demographic.
And while OVAB and other organizations have taken great strides in developing the tools and resources so imperative to this industry, it is up to US to become the one-on-one sherpas to agencies and advertisers — the consultant, the hand-holder, the innovator and the motivator.
So, in true Gwen Morrison form, let’s stop whining and do something. Let’s take advantage of what digital technologies are offering — they will inevitably change for the better in the coming years — the question is, will we?
2 years ago • 0 notes