It\u2019s a mystery why it is that sensible, smart people so often see things in absolutes: black or white, right or wrong, win or lose, media or creative. Surely the concept that teamwork is generally a good idea is not that hard to grasp?<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
For example \u2013 why on earth do we have to choose between a campaign\u2019s media delivery, and its creativity when discussing why it\u2019s worked? Why is it that we even discuss \u2018which works better, media or creative\u2019 as if we\u2019re in some ridiculous competition?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s really simple. The greatest ad in the world is useless if nobody sees it. The best media plan ever written won\u2019t rescue a dreadful creative idea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Back in the dark ages, \u2018media\u2019 was the poor relation. All those jokes about the pre-lunchtime presentation slot, the five minutes that followed the three-hour discussion of which beach was going to be used for the shoot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The media numbers were worthy and dull, focussed far too much on the discounts to be achieved and far too little on who needed to see the ad, and how many times, for it to have the desired effect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And now in the self-proclaimed \u2018age of media enlightenment\u2019 we spend forever making sure we don\u2019t \u2018waste\u2019 a penny of the budget reaching someone outside some crazy target (even if we don\u2019t quite know what \u2018waste\u2019 is, or if it\u2019s a good thing to be rid of it).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Never mind that those of us in the media geekhood can\u2019t even decide how to define a \u2018viewer\u2019, let alone an impression. Or that the largest ad market in the world still deals in programme ratings as opposed to having anything to do with trading based on the number who see the ad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We tie ourselves in knots with all the talk of reach, ignoring the fact that very often we\u2019re adding together apples and carrots. Apples and oranges would be an advance \u2013 at least they\u2019re both fruits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And good luck if you want to discuss the ad in any media forum. Many media sales people (and media buyers) have no idea what they\u2019re placing. Quite how they\u2019re taking account of context without knowing the ins and outs of the creative is another mystery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The industry has moved from an unhealthy obsession with creativity and a complete lack of interest in where and how the money was going to be spent, to an unhealthy obsession with media numbers and a complete lack of interest in the quality of the ads.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Both extremes are of course wrong, and out-of-step with advertisers\u2019 stated needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s why those agencies, like MediaHub and VCCP who balance creativity with media planning and buying are winning. I would say they\u2019re going back to the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s also why it was such a pleasure to remember what Nick Manning and Colin Gottlieb were trying to do when they started Manning Gottlieb (now part of Omnicom) 30 years ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n