by Tom Fels (@thomasfels) Compounded by what has become a full-out war for top minds, the promiscuous nature of the new marketing generation has serious implications for the future of an industry fuelled by intellectual capital.
Category archives: Mission – Tom Fels
The Ad Exec: A projected future — Esquire trends for 2060
by Tom Fels (@thomasfels) At this time of year, we’re accustomed to trend projections for the year ahead, but what if we were to take our Esquire magazine lessons from the past 50-odd years and apply a lens on the next 50?
The Ad Exec: Ad exclusive — four decades of Esquire Magazine
by Tom Fels (@thomasfels) In December of 1967, Esquire magazine housed 308 pages filled to the brim with advertising, aimed at the ‘modern man’ — 166 ads in all. I know of this because, on New Year’s Day, I was gifted an advertising ‘time-capsule’ of several Esquire magazines dated from 1967 to 1971.
The Ad Exec: Don’t get caught in the business of advertising
by Tom Fels (@thomasfels) It’s not our fault; sometimes we get caught up — in a moment, in a project, in a year’s worth of projects — and we look up to find ourselves in a place we didn’t expect, a place we never intended to go, a place where the joy is gone from the work. All we are left with is… the business of advertising.
The Ad Exec: The diminishing returns of pitch culture
by Tom Fels (@thomasfels) I was astounded to see the launch of a new pitch app in the Netherlands — built by an agency — that assists clients to select a roster of prospective agencies. To my mind, it is an accelerator of a type of pitch culture in which clients are trading multiple agencies’ time, expertise and energy for short-term gain.
The Ad Exec: The giant moves redefining South African adland
by Tom Fels (@thomasfels) Radical movements in three aspects of our industry are redefining the landscape, setting the scene for the next era in adland in South Africa.
The Ad Exec: Inside the agency — working hard vs smart
by Tom Fels (@thomasfels) Working smart and working hard are far from the same thing — it’s actually hard to work smart and, as an agency leader, it’s often even harder to ingrain a culture of behavioural excellence throughout an organisation.
Indy Ad Exec: Extended payment terms are crushing adland
by Tom Fels (@thomasfels) As ad agencies, we stand up and pitch against one another every day, scour award rankings and make comparisons. But there is one cause that needs to be addressed with the solidarity of a single voice — extended payment terms.
Indy Ad Exec: A message from Seth Godin
by Tom Fels (@thomasfels) You’re on a journey, not the fast track, to a destination and, no matter where you find yourself, chances are you’ll do just fine — relatively, of course. This is what I learnt recently from meeting Seth Godin.
Indy Ad Exec: Why ad agencies don’t collaborate
by Tom Fels (@thomasfels) Why, in this day and age, in one of the most innovative fields of the economy, are advertising agencies averse to collaborating with their peers? And, given the right circumstances, what amazing new results could be achieved through effective partnering?