Monday, October 15, 2007

A little perspective

Please forgive my lack of posting for almost 3 weeks. I just started consulting for a start-up, so it's been a little hectic.

Conveniently, following the OMMA show in September, the ANA (Association of National Advertisers) held its annual meeting late last week in Phoenix.

What strikes me in looking at the 2 events is the long-standing claim by traditional marketers of the lack of digital talent. Really? Does this position still hold water? Could the CMO's in Phoenix not find one or two suitable people at OMMA who might be experienced in behavioral targeting, social media or widget-based advertising? I guess all of those people working at Facebook, Tremor Media or Omniture couldn't possibly bring any value to the ANA membership.

Bottom line, there is not a lack of digital talent, rather a lack of opportunities with traditional marketers for digital talent to be put into positions to enact genuine change. And since nature abhors a vacuum, the next generation of brilliant marketers are forging their own paths with start-up ventures, not with organizations still dropping 80% of their ad budgets into TV, newspaper and DM.

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