NONE: RE: ONLINE-ADS>> Web architect of record
RE: ONLINE-ADS>> Web architect of record
Bruce Levitt (levitt_at_plcatlanta.com)
18 Mar 97 11:08:57 +0000
Elizabeth,
Boy, did you ever hit a nerve! The answer should be a resounding NO! As a
marketing/advertising tool, the web should be in the hands of the
marketing/advertising experts... the advertising agencies.
I am a partner in a medium size, full-service advertising agency in
Atlanta. We know our clients businesses, their target audience, their
corporate culture and their marketing needs. A second of record company to
handle interactive marketing is totally unnecessary IF, I repeat IF, the
traditional agency of record has made the commitment to interactive and can
truly provide interactive expertise.
Certainly, the Web is different than other media, but TV is different than
newspaper. Any quality agency should be able to harness the power of the
Web and grow with it as it evolves.
What has happened is that most traditional agencies, even the giants, have
been slow to react to create the necessary expertise. Not unexpectedly,
interactive specialty agencies have popped up to fill the void. And if a
clients traditional agency of record cant do interactive work, the client
has no choice but to go to a second company.
Ideally, even in that situation, the full-service agency should be involved
as the keeper of the brand and the brand strategy. Otherwise, the
interactive company has to try to learn the clients business, the client
wastes a lot of time bringing them up to speed, and the marketing expertise
of the full-service agency is wasted.
Another critical issue is the marketing expertise of the interactive
resource. If a client does go outside, the chance for success is much
greater if they go to a full-service interactive agency versus a design
shop or programming company. Lots of design and programming companies may
claim to have marketing skill, but most dont really know marketing. They
can create a site and maybe register you with some search engines, but they
cant create a program to market your site to generate traffic, leads or
sales. The best scenario is still for a client to have a traditional
agency that can provide genuine interactive expertise.
Were a full-service agency, we saw the growing importance of the Internet,
and in 1995 we set up a dedicated interactive unit within the agency. We
dove into it and have made it a success by hiring interactive savvy people
and also training our own people.
Rather than talk about what we could do in the beginning, we showed what we
could do by creating a unique Christmas site called CLAUS.COM. It was a
huge success, won lots of awards and attracted over 1 Million visitors in 5
weeks during the Christmas season. It was a great vehicle for giving our
clients confidence that we were fully capable of handling their Internet
work.
We are now developing the Internet work for all our clients. Strategy,
design, production, marketing, updating, etc. We also develop content
sites, such as CLAUS.COM, for sponsorship. We push our clients creatively
on the Internet , just as we push them creatively in other media. And we
do it inside a full-service advertising agency... where it should be.
Bruce Levitt
President
Pollak Levitt Chaiet Advertising
PLC Interactive
levitt_at_plcatlanta.com
CLAUS.COM at www.claus.com
