Whose line is it anyway?
26th Jun 2007
By Steve Eltringham
Above, through, below, off, on or the dotted line?
Will people stop debating the traditional versus digital agency? A recent article in Campaign highlighted the fact that you don't have to be a digital geek to create digital advertising.
Giles Montgomery, a well-respected copywriter, was hired from Wieden & Kennedy Amsterdam by the digital agency Grand Union to head the creative department.'It's just another medium,' Montgomery said, and he's absolutely right.
Dave Droga, the most awarded creative at Cannes with 48 Lions and 3 Grand Prix's is now producing great ideas online at his new agency Droga 5.
Years ago you would hear from writers that they 'Don't do radio, love'. This was not because they couldn't do it, it was because they were either too lazy, it was below them, or they didn't think a great radio ad would reap them rewards like a great press ad or TV commercial.
This all changed when everyone heard 'Firips'. The same now applies to, 'I don't do digital.' These people are stuck in the dark ages, but it's not because they can't do digital, they just can't be bothered.
Digital is a new medium just like TV commercials were 50 years ago. It is an exciting time for creatives, the web has so much to offer. The advantage a digital agency may have at the moment over their more traditional counterparts is their greater knowledge of rich media, flash etc. But times are changing, and soon it will be a level playing field.
Every creative I have ever met has only one aim, and that is to create brilliant ideas. Where that idea is seen doesn't matter as long as it can be entered for an award.
Digital is the future, but so is press, and TV, and radio, and DM and' beer mats! Nothing is being replaced by online advertising; it's just that budgets are having to be spread to include the web.
So the bottom line in my opinion is - one line: A good idea is a good idea - no matter where it appears.
Steve Eltringham is Creative Director at WAA
Comments on this article
Gareth Brown commented 11 months ago
Steve, I agree with some of your points, but..
"A good idea is a good idea" this mentality is great but you need great people who understand and have the experience to deliver the "good idea", the biggest problem I see in any industry is a "Great idea" going to waste because people can't deliver it right.
I disagree with Chris' comment "You just have to be a prolific web user".
I watch the TV, and listen to the radio every single day, I could never do the job of creating the next great Guinness TV ad.
I know how to cook, but I'm not Gordon Ramsay.
Ask me to build you a great website / application.. no problem.
Chris Tomlinson commented 12 months ago
We'll always need beer mats; unless they ban beer as well as fags in pubs too of course!
I agree with Steve, when it comes to creative for online display advertising (banners etc).
The digital challenge is knowing where to find your target audience online and get them interacting with your brand.
You just have to be a prolific web user , not a specilist Digital Agency, to work that out.