Advertising, Interrupted
Advertising is experiencing a seismic judder. It’s on the operating table, defib charging. Ad Agencies, so many stuck in old ways of doing (and monetising) are assuming the guise of dinosaurs sinking ever-deeper, glug glug, in a giant tub of tar. And it’s not just ad land that’s witnessing and wrestling unprecedented change and hemorrhaging bottom-lines.
The Digital Revolution is prompting revolution across almost all sectors of commercial life. Former practices, once-proven conventions, established paradigms: so many are left twitching at the verge like too-slow roadkill.
In consequence, these are fascinating, thrilling times!
With the blinkers off, there are those who feel liberated, who embrace a new normal of uncertainty that’s equal parts open-ended opportunity. For all those technologists, pioneers, mavericks and questioners in search of bold new paradigms in our brave new digital age, every day is a potential creative, intellectual and financial gold rush.
With particular focus on the communications, entertainment and digital media industries, best-selling author, ad land CSO and global consultant Simon Pont explains why marketing-communications as we knew it is dead and buried, and why we’re in fact living in a new normal of the very good, very thrilling kind.
'Positive interruption'; the rise of 'content' (beyond advertising) and of a digitally-empowered young creative generation ('Generation Create'); how advertising needs to go 'native' and become bona fide entertainment in its own right; what we can learn from Start-Up success stories - ‘Advertising, Interrupted’ blends theory and practice, spot-lighting and advising how to embrace the big, cross-sector themes pre-occupying all corners and hemispheres of our increasingly converging world.
SIMON PONT is an award-winning brand strategist and best-selling author. He has formerly held senior leadership roles at Saatchi & Saatchi and Naked Communications (the pioneers of Communications Planning) and served as Chief Strategy Officer at two global media networks (DentsuAegis and Starcom MediaVest Group).
Simon is also the best-selling author of 'The Better Mousetrap: Brand Invention in a Media Democracy', ‘Digital State: How the Internet is Changing Everything' (both non fiction). ‘Digital State’ was short-listed for ‘Marketing Book of the Year 2014’ and was subsequently translated into Chinese.
An EACA Effies and ADFX judge, Simon has become a recognised authority on brand-building, consumer understanding and the evolution of Marketing Communications.
Simon works with companies and lectures around the world, addressing themes relating to the intended and unintended consequences of our Digital Age – on how it how it is liberating individuals and organisations, usurping former conventions and once-proven business models and demanding competitive advantage through the invention of new perspectives and practices.