Space Race An Inside View of the Future of

Five years ago the world of agency communications turned upside down. Ogilvy introduced 360 degree thinking, Unilever formulated their ABC process, TBWA developed their Disruptive philosophy, and total communications planning was born. Now, total communications planning is being increasingly demanded by clients. The question is no longer where does the future lie, but how does an agency get there as quickly as possible? This book sets out to define the structure of tomorrow's agencies by interviewing the leading lights of the industry today. Jim Taylor, himself an experienced practitioner of Total Communications Planning, identifies common issues and themes to offer a set of likely scenarios for The Agencies of the Future.

Jim Taylor is one of the few true communication planners in the world. having spent the last six years doing virtually nothing else...originally, at a local level, in South Africa, where in 1998 he and Peter Vogel left Ogilvy to found Nota Bene, the Country's first media strategy agency...that has become a highly acclaimed agency specialising in communications planning. And more recently, in the UK, working for Mediaedge:cia:, Nota Bene's parent, in an international capacity.

He cut his communications planning teeth on Unilever in South Africa - business that Nota Bene won in a JV with Initiative Media - but has since gone on, in Europe, to develop communications planning on clients such as Visa, Beiersdorf, and SABMiller.

Within the discipline, Jim is particularly passionate about in-sore retail communication...an area that is under-researched and complex, but one that is vital to get right, and in which to build the brand and communicate the brand idea.

Jim lives in Guildford, UK, with his wife Ali and Kids Tom, Joe & Amy.

Foreword

xi

Preface

xvii

Acknowledgements

xxv

List of Interviewee Quotes References

xxvii

Part I: Wanting to Fly

1

(114)

2000-2005

a period of naivety and hope

a period of 'goldrush' type sentiment

a period of 'unconscious incompetence'

1 The Space Race

3

(16)

A definition of communications planning, a review of the different approaches being practised, and an introduction to the players in the 'race' to occupy the territory

what is communications planning?

what the hell should we call it?

the three schools of practice

who are the players?

2 Of Straw and Sponges

19

(24)

The key reasons for adopting communications planning

being true to your annual objectives

interlinking communication channels and encouraging better use of them

first-mover competitive advantage

3 Gravity

43

(14)

The issues that are holding communications planning back

inability to prove it's better in ROI terms

agencies are culturally and structurally hide-bound to execution

clients are not sure how to do it or who should do it

politics

conservatism

not a clear enough understanding of the consumer

it's impossible to quantify ideas

client's mixed messages

conclusion

4 Reviewing the Fleet

57

(26)

A look at the different types of structural 'toe-dipping' that are currently being used by different clients and agency types

some clients have committed to it and want to control it

many agencies have committed to communications planning, irrespective of current client demand

communication independents

ad agency networks

media agency networks

integrated BTL agency networks

JVs

Nitro

and waiting in the harbour...

so where's the real action?

5 Life Below Decks

83

(34)

An assessment of the pros and cons of the different agency types in terms of their suitability to do communications planning, and a look at alternatives beyond 'agency'

media agencies

ad agencies

integrated BTL agencies

communication independents

four internal factors for change

a perfect agency structure

is 'agency' the only structure we should be thinking about?

how many winners will there be?

Part II: Learning to Fly

115

(42)

2005-2010

a period of great pressure to be accountable

a period of realism, knuckling down to it

a period of 'conscious incompetence'

6 A Slow Wind on the Water

117

(20)

Developments 2005-2010

putting ROI at the heart of things

more emphasis on digital, direct and in-store communication

changes in media buying

what are the implications for agencies?

watching the wrong thing!

7 The Soul Meter

137

(22)

Technology as the change agent that allows communications planning to 'take off'

disruptive technology

the Soul Meter

who might create a Soul Meter?

conclusion

Part III: Cutting Through the Earth's Atmosphere

157

(66)

2010-2020

the marketing machine phase

a period where data will become the dominant driver of communications planning

a period of 'conscious competence'

8 The Dark Days of Data

159

(22)

Developments 2010-2015: data driving communications planning

data storage and ownership

data use

general implications

management consultants

research agencies

media agencies and integrated BTL agencies

independence of execution?

communication independents

what about the ad agencies?

conclusion

9 Antarctica

181

(22)

Clients starting to want to own and do communications planning

bringing it all back home

the implications

conclusion

10 The Twin Achilles' Heels

203

(20)

Developments 2015-2020: ad agencies starting to split in two

production

ideas

ad agencies transforming

fusion

conclusion

Part IV: Weightlessness

223

(22)

2020 onwards

a period where ideas make a comeback; where their ROI value is 'outed'

a period where communications planning is liberated

a period of 'unconscious competence'

11 2020 Vision

225

(12)

A summary of where we end up at in 2020 and how each of the players will have done over the period 2005-2020

those at the centre of things will be the big winners

how will the individual players have fared over the years?

in 2020, what will life be like?

12 Beyond 2020: The ROI of Snow

237

(8)

A look at the future beyond 2020, where ideas start to drive communications planning

Andorra

to summarise...

Last Words

245

(6)

Profile of Interviewees

251

(16)

References

267

(4)

Index

271

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Space Race An Inside View of the Future of Communications Planning

Summary

Author Biography

Table of Contents

Supplemental Materials