You think it's tough out there in your business? Imagine the vibe at the recent leadership conference held by the American Association of Advertising Agencies (or the Four A's). From a fun convention that used to include golf and tennis tournaments to the no-nonsense "reality bites" theme that this year's get-together featured, the tone was serious and concerned.
There was a recent New York Times article full of great sound bites that should probably be echoed at newspaper conventions, music industry conventions, TV conferences, and this year's NAB in Austin.
Consider these pithy quotes:
Tom Carroll, president and chief executive officer of TBWA Worldwide: "It's like driving in the fog. You're not sure what's ahead of you, but you have to keep driving."
Ben Silverman, co-chairman at the NBC Entertainment and Universal Media Studios: He suggested that better deals and sponsorships could happen if agencies would stop asking "Am I buying media?" and ask instead "Am I buying culture?"
And finally, Lee Clow, chairman and chief creative executive at TBWA, who exhorted the crowd to "Stop whining." He reminded convention-goers that the new realities of the advertising world "shouldn't be scary" and should instead provide "a huge opportunity for us" to become more useful to clients as they look for new ways to sell their wares. And then finally, this: "If you want to participate, you've got to start hiring young people. And don't tell them what to do -ask them what to do."
Scenes from coming attractions, to be sure.
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