Attention Marketing, Advertising and Branding Agencies:
October 4th, 2007
We’ve already determined that you’re not special. And here’s further proof:
At last count, there were literally 76,800 of you in the USA. (Source: some recent study.)
And as much as you think that you’re different from all of them - they think they’re that different, too.
Talk amongst yourselves (you seem to be good at that).
Other posts by Spike.
Evan says:
Pot calling the pot black?
October 4th, 2007 at 6:56 amSpike says:
I never said we were special, Evan.
October 4th, 2007 at 12:55 pmEvan says:
Aside from the fact that Sesame Street clearly told me that we are ALL special, I must disagree on mathematical grounds.
There are about 27 million small businesses in America (pdf)… And about 6 million with employees. So, Marketing/Advertising/Branding firms constitute anywhere between 0.3% to 1.3% of the small businesses in the country. I’d be curious to know what your source is and if there is more data to do an actual apples-to-apples comparison. Even if the percentage were to shift upward by a factor of ten, you’re still pretty darn special to still be in business and be a marketing-advertising-branding-naming-identity company with more than one employee.
PS: Can you believe there are only about 17,000 large firms nationwide (companies that employ 500 people or more). They do, however, employ about 50% of the country.
October 4th, 2007 at 4:49 pmSpike says:
I’m in NYC this week, but I’ll find the source when I get back.
The fact is that there are 76,800. And by any math…that’s a lot.
P.S. We’re a naming-identity-word of mouth company. Not advertising. Not marketing. Not branding.
October 5th, 2007 at 3:42 amDavid Burn says:
Brains is sounding pretty special in your post script, Spike
October 5th, 2007 at 12:58 pmSpike says:
Evan - the source is a 2006 survey from the US Department of Labor.
David - we try, brother. We try.
October 5th, 2007 at 1:12 pmmark says:
you guys seem to bitch a lot on this blog… and by bitch I mean sound pretty cynical…some less-bitchy posts would be appreciated/more helpful.
thx!
October 5th, 2007 at 4:52 pmSpike says:
Thanks for chiming in, Mark.
And I can’t help it - we’re disrupters by our very nature, but we’ll work on it.
October 5th, 2007 at 5:43 pmScott White says:
What a silly post. But you posted it for reaction so congrats, you got one.
And just for the record:
Naming: That’s branding
Identity: Ah, branding as well
WOM: That is a marketing tactic which is part of branding.
Deny what you are to make yourself sound like something else but you are a branding company through and through. And being a branding company is not such a bad thing…
October 6th, 2007 at 4:21 amSpike says:
I think it’s interesting that people are taking offense to a post that calls them not special. We all think we’re special. But all that specialness makes us the same.
So… we’re all branding companies? I think not.
October 6th, 2007 at 4:29 pmEvan says:
Spike’s not a blogger either. Conversation catalyst is more like it.
October 7th, 2007 at 3:11 pmBen Kunz says:
A bit brash, but I agree. Ad agencies, web designers and marketers are, alas, commodities — and the fact that Google now offers print layout design and web analytics for free shows that we can be replicated.
The good news is that are millions of business people out there who need help from the mere thousands of agencies. Demand still outweighs supply, if you are good, even if you are just a good commodity.
What is different, Spike, is what you said in your prior post — our customers. The agency or guru who uses empathy and insight to understand what makes our client different and how to really help them has a shot at standing apart.
October 8th, 2007 at 4:40 amDetroiter says:
Isn’t it, “pot calling the kettle black,” Evan?
Nice post, Spike. It’s really hard to remember that uniqueness isn’t everything. Yes, there are tons of [insert modifier here] companies out there. As a buyer of these services, you just have to find the one you like.
Stop taking offense, people, Spike’s right on the money.
October 8th, 2007 at 5:24 amEvan says:
“The pot calling the kettle black” would imply that I thought Spike was writing about someone else. As I read it, it sounds like he was writing about himself. Hence no second party “kettle.” It was as if the pot was just peering into the mirror while not realizing that he was actually looking at himself. I was rightfully corrected, because BoF is a “naming-identity-word of mouth company. Not advertising. Not marketing. Not branding.” Fine.
Despite all that, the question shouldn’t be over anyone being offended or what anyone wants to call themselves, it should be about Spike’s assertion that that 76,800 firms aren’t (or can’t be) “special.” I know math isn’t probably a strong subject within this arena… I’ll go back to reading Chuck Palahniuk so I can kick my childish notions of uniqueness.
Talk amongst yourselves (you seem to be good at that).
October 8th, 2007 at 2:03 pmSpike says:
Thanks for the comment, Ben. I think that the commodities are “creative companies.” However, I think that the strategic thinking and ideas are not - that’s the difference.
Detroiter - thanks for watching my back.
October 9th, 2007 at 7:17 amolivier Blanchard says:
In my experience, people (and companies) who feel the need to tell everyone that they are special usually aren’t. Especially when they do so by telling everyone else how much they aren’t.
It’s true that you didn’t actually write “We are special” in your post, but you’re a copywriter/wordsmith by trade, so let’s dispense with the fifth grade antics: Your post oozes with the sentiment. You’re a big fan of honesty and transparency, right? Walk the talk, Spike: Just own up to what your post is saying and move on. I may disagree with you, I may even dislike you, but at least I will respect you.
Aside from that minor point, you’re kidding yourself if you think that your business hasn’t already been commoditized. It isn’t a question of “creative” versus “strategic.” (In your dreams, maybe.) I hate to burst your bubble, but as a client, there is absolutely no difference between the two. None.
In the end, it all comes down to ROI: Either you contribute to a business’ bottom-line in an exceptional way, or you’re just another line item on an ever shrinking budget. It doesn’t matter if you’re an IT solutions provider, an outside sales rep, a creative studio, a web design firm, or a call center.
Companies who aren’t all that great at selling great creative in a second-tier market can find some measure of success in positioning themselves as something else. (If you can’t compete in a market, create a new one and climb straight to the top of your one-company heap.)
In that light, rebranding yourself as an “idea” or “strategic thinking” or an “identity” company is as good a move as any other, but in the end, it is little more than a smokescreen: You can’t simply turn copywriters and graphic designers into brand or business strategists just because you decide that you want to go in that direction. It doesn’t work that way. You might think it does because you need to believe that, but that’s just not in synch with reality.
If I had a nickel for every self-proclaimed “strategist” or “Brand Specialist” with a great resume and impressive list of clients I have run into over the last decade and a half, I could buy myself a nice set of wheels. None of those guys saw themselves as commodities either. They all thought they were special and brilliant. Some were, but most weren’t.
The difference between them and you (at least when it comes to this post) is that they don’t beat their chests and then dump on everyone else who isn’t drinking their koolaid. There is a place for ego and arrogance when it comes to asserting yourself in a market, but there comes a point when decorum and common-sense should kick in. Again, as a copywriter (heck, just by virtue of being somewhat professional) you should know that.
If being an identity/buzz/whatever company means that you can make some clients think you are the cat’s meow because you give old concepts catchy new names and act like you’ve reinvented Marketing (oh the ugly word), then have at it. Just don’t be all that surprised when you stop gaining traction and execs with half a brain start asking “um… what do you do again?”
There’s an old fairy tale called “The Emperor’s New Clothes.” I’m sure you’ve heard of it. It’s worth a read.
Far be it from me to tell you what to post on your own blog (that’s more your kind of thing), but next time you feel like sharing how cool and special and unique you are with the rest of the class, please do us a favor: Instead of telling us how boring we are, why don’t you just take a step back and let your work speak for you? Believe me, it will be a much more effective means of getting your point across, and there won’t be any… um… misunderstandings.
October 9th, 2007 at 1:56 pmSpike says:
Thanks for the comment, O. We haven’t seen you around these parts in quite a while.
I’m sorry if you read a lot into my post. But I think it’s great that it got such a strong reaction.
Again, I never said that Brains on Fire is special. Of course, we’d like to think that we are - just like the other 76,799. I guess it’s about finding those nuggets of differentiation and building on them.
I’m very sorry if I offended you. But my words speak for themselves in the post. There’s no underlying agenda. People can decide for themselves if any of our companies are different.
You want transparency? Sometimes I struggle with the fact that we indeed might not be different.
October 9th, 2007 at 2:17 pmThanks again for the lively comment and for participating in the conversation.
olivier Blanchard says:
Good to hear, Spike.
October 10th, 2007 at 6:26 amScott White says:
Aint that the truth, it is all about ROI isn’t it. I know that makes my company special and different. I’ve seen stuff I would consider horrible design make oodles of cash for a client and I’ve also seen “award winning” stuff make no ROI.
Sure we ultimately want to differentiate our clients, but we also have to make them profitable.
Great post Olivier. You’re one smart cookie.
October 11th, 2007 at 8:30 pm