Giant Helium Balloon

Summary: As we continue to try to keep our footing on the fast-moving advertising landscape, it is easy to understand why we look towards the experts and thought leaders of the industry. Why should we look for the unbroken, untraveled areas, when these people have already paved a way and provide us footprints to follow?

In lovely corporate speak, “why reinvent the wheel?”

In advertising and marketing, everybody is an expert. At least it seems so. The web is full of “best practices” and “marketing how-to’s.”

Summary: AdLand loves its awards. And even when the leaders of the industry say that they don’t follow awards, we all know that changes once they receive one. Take, for example, WPP’s head honcho Sir Martin Sorrell. The boss, who is known for his micro-management in the media giant, has been receiving some acclaim in the UK and beyond.

Recently Sir Sorrell was voted Management Today’s Most Admired Leader in 2012. It is hard to disagree with the pick. In 2012, Sorrell led WPP through an aggressive phase of growth and acquisition; notably making it the leader (in terms of sheer size) in the digital advertising landscape.

Summary: Marketing and advertising are the language of business. We translate what the business community wants to convey to our society. Naturally, then, it is up to our industry to know how and what our society feels, and what they are going through.

Marketing and advertising need that “human touch”; we need to be involved with activities and events that are relatable and bring people together.

Are we getting away from that?