I was talking to someone about the upcoming merger between FCB and Draft. According to Adweek, this is "the first time a so-called below-the-line shop assumes control of a traditional agency the size and reach of FCB"
...and it won't be the last.
In the interactive world, we've been witnessing the merging of direct and digital for some time. To be honest, I've never been entirely comfortable with direct marketing taking too much of a superior position over the branding/creative realm, but at the end of the day, 2 facts remain:
1) All of media is becoming more direct-response oriented - especially when there are metrics in place to measure efficacy and means to optimize performance accordingly
2) It's our (or your) damn fault for sitting on your asses and being complacent for so long
I wrote about the blurring of above and below the line all the way back in October of 2002. 3 1/2 years later, the lardy industry wakes up.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not dissing direct. I'm just (and always have) advocating balance or equilibirium. Why is it then that we're always swaying from one extreme of the pendulum to the opposite end?
Which brings me to the analogy at hand.
Traditional/above-the-line/creative agencies are the balloon. They look good. They're why people come to the store. They are filled with helium (or is it hubris) which help the balloon stand tall, reach for heights and do what it does best...look pretty and add to the atmosphere/ambiance etc. The helium also makes for a great party trick when trying to make a spectacle of yourself. The helium is also the balloon's Achilles heel...when released the balloon takes off and has no control: it soars and soars until it pops. Conversely, eventually the helium wears off, the balloon sags to the ground...becomes a liability and is eventually popped.
The weight on the other hand is the antithesis of the balloon. Even though it is dressed up with shiny colored foil, it is an afterthought. It is a nice-to-have, as opposed to a have-to-have and generally is purchased at the prompting of a pushy sales clerk. The weight - when tied to the balloon - grounds the balloon, without compromising its primary goal and purpose. It allows the balloon to remain star of the show, but never get too big or soar too high.
The relationship between the weight and the balloon is a partnership and together, 1 + 1 = 3.
Oh - no clue how to extend this to explain how the paper weight trumped the balloon. That's not the point of this fable. The moral of this tale is that plenty of balloons (egos) will be popped or deflated along the way, but the weights can be used as door stoppers or paper weights.
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