Bill and I like to joke about the day when they finally merge YouTube, Twitter and FaceBook. It will have to be called, “YouTwitFace”.
For the past 10 years or so, a battle royale has raged between what’s become known as the “Traditional Guys” VS the “Digital Guys”.
Overnight, writers and art directors became classified as being in one camp or the other.
Producers, too.
As well as accountniks.
Somehow, our collective talents/abilities turned into a freakish impromptu game of DodgeBall (or, DidgeBall. Sorry).
The wall went up. A nation was divided. And East became aware of West.
To wit; in the three agencies I’ve worked at during that time, both camps were in separate spaces – if not on separate floors altogether.
They usually didn’t attend the same meetings.
Somehow, even the briefs were different.
Don’t even get me started on the award shows.
And so on.
And so forth.
Hmm.
The whole evolution of this has always bothered me to no end.
Not because I was jealous of or threatened by the “Digital Guys”, but instead - because I saw what was coming: A day when TV and print would be declared dated outlets for advertising. And that the only true, relevant marketing tool would be all things digital.
Well until there are the afore-promised flying cars, I’m not buying this line of thinking.
I guess my point is this:
It’s time for our industry to stop differentiating between digital and traditional thinkers.
Great ideas are media agnostic.
Digital is simply another tool in the toolbox.
I mean, if having to know how to create in the interactive space is somehow more disciplined or different than the traditional arena – imagine how hard creating in the pharma interactive realm must be (jk, lol, wtf).
I humbly submit that ours has always been a business in a constant state of flux.
And all that’s really happened in the past decade or so is that we’ve added more touchpoints for consumers.
It’s no different than in the 1930’s when the guys jamming on radio spots were suddenly confronted by that godforsaken new evil called, television.
In closing, consider this Taoism:
Tools
Thirty spokes meet at a nave;
Because of the hole we may use the wheel.
Clay is molded into a vessel;
Because of the hollow we may use the cup.
Walls are built around a hearth;
Because of the doors we may use the house.
Thus tools come from what exists,
But use from what does not.
