An interesting article from the New York Times on ad agencies creating their own products or media channels.
This is an interesting concept, and I have mixed feelings on the notion. To a certain extent it seems contrived. It feels like an idea born out of a conference room, think outside the box brainstorm: "See, we're an ad agency, so we created our own media channel - get it?".
To that extent I really have no interest in hearing what some ad exec thinks of Michelle Obama's wardrobe, or eating their homemade chocolate, or buying their furniture.
I am interested however, in their creative assets: their views on marketing, what inspires them creatively, and maybe even their tee shirt lines. Ad agencies employ some very creative people, who are usually working on a screenplay, playing in a band, or writing the next great American novel. I love reading in Creativity Magazine where the leading creative minds discuss what books they are reading, what music they are listening to, the Web sites they visit.
In essence, I guess it is a fine line, between pandering and adding value. Hopefully that is another lesson these agencies have learned in their years of client marketing: make it relevant.
