Excitement. And exhaustion.
So there were no nightly updates because we worked like dogs. I have come home from the Digital Creative Direction intensive at Brandcenter with an intense passion for JUST FRIGGIN’ DO IT and with bronchitis. Mike Hughes (The Martin Agency),summed it up in his opening night presentation. “None of us knows how to do digital media,” he said. “You just have to find new human, wonderful ways to do creative in this realm. You have to push to figure it out.”
His sentiments were echoed by every speaker throughout the week, ending with Jeff Benjamin, CCO of digital at Crispin. (Yes, we all bowed when he walked in.) “There is no ‘right way’ to do any of it,” he said. We (Crispin) make it up as we go along and believe me, there are lots of failures.”
So, instead of a blog entry a day, here’s a blog entry with A Lesson A Day:
Monday
Mike Hughes. The Martin Agency
Get your creative team, and your client, to see what’s possible.
Tuesday
Lisa Bennett, DDB West
To effectively bring digital to the center, you will have to reinvent your current model. (Needless to say I LOVED hearing that one.)
Rick Webb, The Barbarian Group
Align with what internet builders care about: Build cool shit people want.
Rick Boyco, Brandcenter
Mistakes are not failure. Be prepared to be wrong.
Wednesday
Mark Avant, Brandcenter
Stop thinking “event” and start thinking “customer journey.”
Ji Lee, Google
(on ‘Open Source’) Sharing is rewarding. Give something to the world and you will get so much back.
Peter Coughter, Brandcenter
(on ‘presenting’) You are your message.
Thursday
Lars Bastholm, Ogilvy
The digital toolbox becomes broader, deeper and wider everyday. The dilemma is: We can do anything. It’s wonderful for people who are adventurous and terrifying to those who aren’t.
Pella and Calle Sjonell, BBH
1. Do. Don’t talk.
2. You must collaborate. And if you must, force collaboration.
Heidi Ehlers, Black Bag Recruitment
Most people have vivid fears and vague dreams.
Jeri Ward, Audi
The world belongs to the brave.
Friday
Jeff Benjamin, Crispin Porter
Consider yourself an inventor.
Kelly O’Keefe, Brandcenter
Have a point of view. Take a stand, and don’t let go of it.
So it is Saturday afternoon. I have been to the doc, begun a round of serious antibiotics (along with two other prescriptions) and am already feeling better. I can’t wait to get to work on Monday to enter the new world that is Riggs Partners. Anything is possible!
Heh, the only thing missing is “Steal this iBook.”
Maybe Lars and Heidi offer the most pointed nuggets: 90% of the brand managers and maybe even agency principals are trapped in a zero-sum universe where white knuckled fear predates new media by a good six decades.
I wasn’t there so I don’t know what tools or levers the speakers offered to attendees to come back home and dynamite folks out of their “comfy places” and into some brave new world realization but this all seems a bit trite. Not trying to harsh your buzz, Cathy, but I hope you got more of a Rosetta Stone than “Take a stand.”
I happened to be doing some work-related research in Yahoo today and found this blog. I have to admit that I have gotten a tad sidetracked going through and browsing a number of your articles… I should probably be working. You’ve got some great insights here, so I’m going to add you to my personal Google Reader for the future. Take care!