The current generation of consumers are more likely to be looking down on an interactive handheld device, and not up at a television or a billboard (or even down at a magazine or newspaper).
And yet, most ad agencies still seem to be focusing on “above the line” channels like television, print and billboards; with barely a glance at digital/interactives. More often than not (from my observations and talking to people in the know), digital is tacked on as a last minute aside. Because it is considered “below the line”, much less lucrative, and therefore deserving of the least understanding and exploitation.
Is this yet another example of “we are on a good thing that makes money lets keep doing it and ignore reality?”
Traditional ad agencies have enjoyed a long and profitable ride on traditional media. With the establishment of new media, it surely points to the need for new agencies, or at least genuine new thinking.
Is it time now for digital-only agencies to rise up as the old head-in-sand agencies become increasingly irrelevant?
