WHAT THE AGENCY OF THE FUTURE WILL LOOK LIKE (by Lynn Madeley)

The great thing about being asked to write about what the agency of the future will look like is that in 2011 you can’t be wrong.  The bad thing is that it is likely that your article will be available on the web for years to come and someone can get hold of it and roll around in the aisles at what you said way back then.

Regardless I am prepared to risk it.

There is a wonderful comment from Bud Caddell, “Asking what the advertising agency of the future will look like is a bit like asking what the horse drawn carriage of the future will look like’, because it won’t. That doesn’t mean that advertising agencies won’t exist they will but they will have morphed into the electric car.  My thoughts reflect those of Bud Caddell when he also said, ‘The future doesn’t need printed news but it needs journalism’” and it is the same with advertising agencies, we might not need 30” TVC’s but we’ll need to communicate about brands and products.

Joseph Jaffe said, “The future will be made up of two kinds of agencies, ideas generators and the executors of ideas”. I don’t agree with Mr Jaffe. I think agencies of the future will be a balance of skills around IQ and EQ and will need to have a holistic offering and at the same time be visionary.

It’s a brand new week and here at the Jam Factory based in little old Knysna, we hope that you all enjoyed Heritage Day on Saturday.

It was a time to break out the braai tongs and enjoy the lekker weather that most of our country was blessed with! Usually, the weekdays we spend cooped up in an office mark the days of the glorious weather while the weekends are dull and dreary. But true to its word, Heritage Day brought upon us one of the best summer days that 2011 has had so far.

Many of us enjoyed a day outdoors, relaxing in the sun and taking in the fresh air. None of us seem to realize though, that we take this beautiful country and all of the amazing things that we can do almost daily, for granted.

We are all so happy and proud of The Expedition Project for standing out, taking notice and creating awareness of the environmental challenges that not only South Africa, but the world, faces.

We wish them well on their journey to make a better and worthy future for our planet and for the future generations and we support them 110%.

With The Expedition Project determinedly fighting to save our planet and inspiring every individual to do so too, we are positive that our environment will be forgoing some great beneficial changes not a day too soon.

Warmest Regards,
Jam Factory

It’s ‘Cause TEP’s Awesome Too!

Social Media is hot. It's something you have to get into if you want your business to survive. It's the only marketing way forward. But, like all buzzwords, the phrase is often thrown around without anyone really knowing what it means. So, what exactly is Social Media? And why does it matter at all? The aim of this article is to cut through the hype and the jargon and put the answers plainly.

Social networking is as old as the hills. Think Tupperware parties. Think medieval artisan guilds. Think cavemen. So what’s all the hype about then? And why – in this age of information overload – should you care? Few of us need more to do. But there are some compelling reasons for you to get on this bandwagon.