Op-Ed: The most creative minds in marketing are focused on the wrong things

For at least the last two years, marketers have invested more behind social than any other media. TV isn’t even second, it’s search. (WARC).

Most agencies think they’ve changed to meet this new reality. But they haven’t changed enough. The clearest proof? Talk to young creatives. They want the big budget TV assignments. Yet they’re writing for a platform they never watch.

The good news? There’s never been a broader canvas for creativity. But change requires more than presenting different slides or hiring a few “social” creative teams. It requires structural shifts. And change is hard. Just look at the number of agency brands the holdcos have shuttered in the last 2 years.

Here are five ways marketers and agencies can shift to carve the future path:

1. Incentivize the work you want more of
For decades, the biggest contracts have gone to TV agencies. Accordingly, that’s where talent has gone to build their careers. And where they get the best compensation. If marketers want change, they need to put their money where the focus should be. Or agencies will continue to optimize for the old playbook.

2. Build systems, not narratives
In a TV-first world, we started by scripting, testing and meticulously optimizing 30 second tv spots. Everything else was an extension. And it made sense when TV dominated media budgets. Now, it just draws focus to the wrong place. We need to build ideas more like brand architects than script writers, selling the world we’re building not an execution.

3. Put your production budgets where your media budgets are
Every marketer knows TV cut-downs don’t work on social. Yet the solution they embrace is often equally wrongheaded. They assume TV deserves premium production but social should feel cheap. On purpose. But audiences aren’t fooled by content designed to “blend in.”  Feeds today are packed with movie trailers, polished fashion content, sports and music videos. Unless brands want to feel cheap, it’s time to invest.

4. Work with people innovating at the pace of AI
The tools for strategy, production, project management and analytics are blowing up timelines and methodologies daily. A 4Cs analysis or video prototype that used to take weeks can now be done in hours.The edge isn’t who has tools, it’s which agencies are coding, creating and keeping up with them.

5. Hire an agency that can produce their own work
The job of agency producers has long been to bid jobs out to a second set of producers. This might make sense for jobs with massive crews and A-List directors. This does not, however, make sense when you’re building always on and reactive content. The structure of writer and art director is being replaced by teams that include producers and makers on site.

The next great era in marketing is ours to create
The most creative minds in marketing are focused on the wrong things. But they don’t have to be. The talent is there, we have the tools and the bar for creativity is higher than ever. We just need to point our talent where the work needs to go.

The next great era is ours to create. And the ones who will create the change are the ones who jump in with both feet.