FUEL LINES Fueling Ad Agency New Business Through Social Media

As ad agencies, we don’t need to apply old media applications to the most exciting new medium to emerge in decades. The real opportunity is for us to do something as new as the medium itself. The art isn’t in what social media does, it’s in what we do with it. What will it be?

I was recently introduced to Edward Boches through Twitter. He sent me a nice complimentary message which mentioned that he was with the Mullen agency.

I had gone up against Mullen on a number of occasions for new business pitches so I checked out his Twitter profile. I was impressed to learn Edward is the Chief Creative Officer for Mullen (There aren’t a lot of agency creative directors that I’m aware of who understand or participate in social media).

From his profile I discovered the link to his blog “creativity_unbound.” Reading through his posts I was very impressed by his understanding and passion for social media. Then I came across a post that he had written, “Twitter. It’s time for brands and agencies to get more inventive.”

My first impression after reading his post. Here is a creative director who get’s it. Who not only has a good understanding of Twitter but also social media.  Edward realizes that brands and agencies have been slow to get on the bandwagon but I get a sense of his excitement knowing what is going to happen when more agencies “get it” and we allow our creative juices to flow for how social media can be used.

A few excerpts from Edwards post:

“While there are plenty of brands already using Twitter – GM, Comcast, JetBlue, Dell, and Starbucksto name a few– many of them are simply applying old media applications to one of the most exciting new mediums to emerge in decades.”

“Sure you can do all the things you did in other media on Twitter … the real opportunity is to do something as new as the medium itself.”

“Nearly 2500 brands have taken the initiative to tweet and connect. But as with any technology the art isn’t in what Twitter does, it’s in what you do with it. What will it be?”

My second impression. I’m not sure Edward knows how brilliant his post is from a new business perspective. Hopefully you’ll “get it” when you read it. Let’s just say if I were Lowes, Barnes and Noble or UnderArmor I would make contact with Edward ASAP!

If they are social savvy they would be monitoring what is being said about their brands, have already read his post and made contact.

Click on the title to read Edwards entire post:  “Twitter. It’s time for brands and agencies to get more inventive”

“If the ad community and marketing community with all of its creative and intelligent minds cannot find a solution for using, effectively using, social networks and user-generated content, it will be the greatest loss to the advertising and marketing business that we’ve ever experienced.”  Jack Myers, a leading media analyst