After 10 years of working in marketing as a copywriter at several traditional advertising agencies, including Campbell Michener Lee in Toronto, Acme Advertising + Design in Ottawa, and BCP, FCB Direct and Armada (now Zoum Armada) in Montreal, Iā??ve learned one sure thing: the traditional advertising model is broken.
This may be a big revelation to some, not so big to others, but it had always been a suspicion of mine. Since the summer of 2005, when I became a student of social media, everything I believed has been confirmed. And now Iā??m finally doing something about it.
So long agency life, hello world of new marketing consulting, freelance copywriting, social media advocacy, and anything else thatā??ll pay for a family of four to see the Habs in person.
Even as I was writing for traditional accounts, I never really believed in the talking-at tone, the media the messages were delivered by and the general attitude that believes a 2% conversion rate on a direct mail piece is truly great. Iā??ve always cared more about selling product than developing award-winning work that has no effect on the bottom line (as good as winning awards does feel). ā??Responsible creative solutions,ā? I would tell my colleagues between dart games.
That said, hereā??s what Iā??m hoping to do: Iā??d like to be your new marketing coach ā?? the guy who will educate you on the power and importance of developing a solid presence in new media, which most definitely includes blogging.
And hereā??s what Iā??d like you to do for me: Keep me on track, tell me where I can improve, collaborate with me, help me help you.
This is a whole new marketing world with opportunities that are only now being defined. Itā??s time to see where itā??s all headed.
