Hasta La Creative!

I love the TV show “MadMen,” mostly because it’s a reminder of a quaint time in the history of our industry – big accounts, big egos, and big paychecks. Of course, at that time, advertising was limited to print and radio, as well as the “new” medium of TV.

Flash forward nearly 60 years to 2009. Magazines and newspapers are folding left and right, radio seems to have a limited shelf life, and TV is too expensive for many potential advertisers. While agencies like the fictional Sterling Cooper still exist, they’re working to hold their own against relative upstarts – the small boutique agencies that specialize in digital and social media. What would Don Draper do – get a Twitter account and attend PodCamp instead of chasing secretaries and boozing?

Traditional agencies are downsizing – many have considerably smaller employee rosters and account lists – while smaller agencies are flourishing due to the focus of specialists such as brand evangelists, social anthropologists, and relationship managers. Their primary methodologies engage the consumer through digital, mobile, and direct mail, then supplement campaigns with broadcast, print, out-of-home, and outdoor.  These small shops seem to get it as they can implement a specialized yet multi-faceted approach for clients.  Think of it as one-stop-shopping and the agencies that can’t keep up with the so-called little guys are folding quickly.

So what does this mean to traditional agencies? Is it the end of the line for them? Or can they peacefully co-exist with this new agency hybrid?

Sara Barton is a copywriter, social media strategist, and avid blogger who is in search of her next opportunity. Contact her via Twitter, LinkedIn, or her blog.