Comments on: Agencies Should Teach Brands How to Fish

By: Tom Martin

Tom Martin — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 12:01:43 +0000

Interesting thought re: Pistachio.. reminds me of PR folks with the golden rolodex. You hire them because it gets your brand instant access to the right reporters.

No, I think the problem is a supply/demand. Agencies want to hire someone as a W2 employee and lock that talent up in their 4 walls. Then tell clients "look we have something the other guys don't." Problem is there just aren't that many folks that *really* get the space and none of them really wants to go work for an ad agency. They prefer independence.

The model I think will prevail over the next few years -- agencies find smart SocMe consultants and hire those folks to teach the agency how to build a SocMe mindset/practice area into the agency. Will help if the SocMe person has an agency background I think. Understanding how agencies make money will be invaluable asset in helping agencies understand how to profitably structure a new SocMe practice area. IMHO. So these *guides* will be paid to get an agency SocMe smart and then retained to keep that agency SocMe smart going forward. Probably be some kind of limited conflict of interest stuff to work out -- if you work with us you can't work for the following agencies, etc. -- the big holding companies will benefit the most because they'll be able to lock up a consultant or two to only work with their network agencies. Will make it hard on the *little guys* but that is my 02 on how our industry will try and quickly get into the SocMe game.

Look forward to your post.
@TomMartin

By: JMaultasch

JMaultasch — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 10:53:51 +0000

Thanks for the comment Tom. I agree that big agencies should do this and yet we've got a long haul before we start doing it well. I wonder if part of the issue isn't that social media stars are becoming traffic drivers and therefore hiring one sort or pre-determines the succcess of your SM activity. For example, Pistachio gets paid a consulting fee and then uses her huge following to promote the social media effort she's consulted on. Does this make her a better guide to social media or just a good source of traffic? I think I may explore the notion of SM experts as the new key opinion leaders in my next post.

By: Tom Martin

Tom Martin — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 21:52:26 +0000

I think agencies need to lead brands into the space. Unlike PR shops or new creations like Brogan's New Media Lab, agencies have their fingers in lots of touchpoints and if they're doing the job, have deep insights into the clients core biz issues. So they more so than any other entity are best positioned to guide clients on their first big dive into the social media waters.

Problem is, most agencies just don't have that one or few SocMe knowledge leaders. Folks that have spent the time deep diving in the space so they can actually speak intelligently and insightfully to clients.

The big shops should have them, but for whatever reason don't. The small shops are trying but the folks that get it are far and few between and pretty damn expensive because they're in demand.

It's going to be a long road for us agency folks, but those that get their act together first stand a good chance of vastly improving their future I think.

By: Justin

Justin — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 14:44:14 +0000

Now that the whole world has found out about twitter and facebook what is the next thing? I am ready to move on, being the early adapter that i am.

By: JMaultasch (JMaultasch)

JMaultasch (JMaultasch) — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 13:05:28 +0000

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By: JMaultasch (JMaultasch)

JMaultasch (JMaultasch) — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 11:05:30 +0000

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