"I am an obsolete model..." T-101 (aka: Arnold Schwarzenegger in Terminator 3, Rise of the Machines)
Since I've been unemployed I've been able to see how new technologies (and let's be honest, the crap economy) are relegating some positions virtually obsolete. Historically this kind of displacement leads to a counter-effect of completely new positions opening up that relate specifically to the new innovation. I wonder: what will post digital agency be made of? Not sure, but here are some changes I've noticed.
Social media and conversational marketing are rendering more mainstream advertising less relevant (at least within the social network ecosystem). Mainly because clients and agencies have jumped on the user generated content bandwagon. For the most part, however, this creates some very insipid advertising in the end. But the impact on creative jobs is huge. This impacts me personally as a writer in that Copy/Content skills aren't as in demand right now within agencies/corporations.
Another change in the overall structure of marketing agencies is born from tech innovations in how/where content is served. Right now, platform is more important than ever. But does the emphasis on platform necessitate tearing the focus away from content? By that I mean, if clients are clamoring for Detach and Distribute tools (platform), their focus is less wrapped up in creative headlines or new design assets. In fact, maybe they don't need the assets at all, they just need to be partners with a content company of some sort who will allow video or text to be imported into a site/SMS/aggregator. That means more jobs opening up in media buying, search optimization, and development and very few jobs opening up for copy/content/design/creative production.
For the most part, content is still coming from Mainstream sources like broadcast TV and news video. Indie blogger vids are gaining momentum, but generally only if the videographer is also the blogger or developer. I saw that BoingBoing.net got a video featured on Kanye's blog that they produced other day, and from the tweets by Xeni Jardin I read, the BoingBoingers were freakin STOKED that the vid got picked up. So my question is: if the BoingBoing people have such a tough time getting content distributed, where does that leave the rest of us indie bloggers? (Speaking of Kanye, if you haven't seen this viddy for "Pro Nails" by Kid Sister f. Kanye, you must watch now. It is for real.)
So I'm really hoping that once businesses adapt to the new conversational climate and the latest tech changes there will be new Next Gen marketing jobs available. Creative jobs that take strategy, search, and platform into consideration when creating a new media experience.
How about you? Where do you see creative marketing jobs popping up in the current ecosystem?
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1 comment:
this is good stuff. we're on the same page. I wrote this post (http://thisisclutch.blogspot.com/2009/01/tapping-creativity.html) talking about the ways companies are trying to exploit creative individuals. I think we're going to start to see models that shift away from agencies and shops harboring creative minds. What if there was a way for all these creative people to collaborate? The agency is becoming an expendable middle man.
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