What if agencies and marketers created products and services, not just ads? And what if they made these things for themselves, not just for clients? They do. But tackling these things isn't easy. {roduct design, creating new businesses or building complex real-world experiences requires a creative, technical, managerial and entrepreneurial spirit more associated with Silicon Valley than Madison Avenue. It demands new roles, agile approaches, external partnerships, technologies, investments and compensation models that can drive even the most hardened finance director crazy. And in some cases, it may even require a complete reboot from the ground up. The ability to make something that isn’t an “ad” is no longer optional in modern advertising. But it's certainly not easy, either. So what can we learn from the makers, technologists and agencies already playing in this space? Turns out, a whole heckuva lot.

1. sxsw 2012
We made this, and it’s not an ad.
10 March 2012
#wemadethis

2. Robbie Whiting
Director of Creative Tech & Production, Duncan/Channon
Co-Founder, StoreBeam & maker of many other things

3. Robbie Whiting
Director of Creative Tech & Production, Duncan/Channon
Co-Founder, StoreBeam & maker of many other things

5. Things I’m not here to answer:

6. Things I’m not here to answer:
Should ad agencies act like start-ups?

7. Things I’m not here to answer:
Should ad agencies act like start-ups?
Should agencies actually make products?

8. Things I’m not here to answer:
Should ad agencies act like start-ups?
Should agencies actually make products?
How fucked are ad agencies?

9. Why

10. Flickr: schmilblick

11. Duncan/Channon We made this, and it’s not an ad 9 March 2012
The brutal economics of the digital-age
No mass audience = no mass media
No mass media = no mass advertising
No mass advertising = oh shit

12. So what do agencies sell?

14. The future of marketing is not advertising.
Flickr: jwelcher

15. The future of marketing is not advertising.
The future of marketing is making
things that people want.
Flickr: jwelcher

16. The future of marketing is not advertising.
The future of marketing is making
things that people want.
For our clients and ourselves.
Flickr: jwelcher

17. Duncan/Channon We made this, and it’s not an ad 9 March 2012 17
Why we make stuff
Natural by-product
Better collaboration model
Get our hands dirty
Proof
Attract the right talent
Money
Flickr: treveansalt

19. FINNELL / WILSON / RULL

27. Lessons I’ve learned.

29. TV Radio Print OOH
Object-oriented
Paid media-driven
Fixed Deliverable
Emphasis on ‘big ideas’

30. TV Radio Print OOH Sites Videos Banners Social Apps Experiences Products
Object-oriented System-oriented
Paid media-driven Consumer-driven
Fixed Deliverable Continuous updates
Emphasis on ‘big ideas’ Emphasis on design

31. TV Radio Print OOH Sites Videos Banners Social Apps Experiences Products
Object-oriented System-oriented
Paid media-driven Consumer-driven
Fixed Deliverable Continuous updates
Emphasis on ‘big ideas’ Emphasis on design

33. “ reative technology was born:
C
partly to… spread awareness
across the board that where
interactive work is concerned,
creating involves making…”
Igor Clark, Creative Technology Director, Wieden+Kennedy:
“Why We’re Not Hiring Creative Technologists” blog post

34. Creative department Developers
Creative technologist
Ninja
Rockstar
Guru

36. Broad empathy
Deep skill

43. Duncan/Channon We made this, and it’s not an ad 9 March 2012 43
Makers under our own roof
A teen paranormal author Founder of an AR platform
A nonfiction author Improvisational theater
Creator of a fruit bar product Clothing designer
Two game developers Mixology writer
A recording label founder Font designer
Swimsuit calendar creator Television show creator
Ceramics artisan Jam maker
Furniture maker Antler bike designer
Mobile Sharing Engine Knife maker
As well as the usual creative roundup of writers, artists, designers,
developers, photographers, musicians and directors.

47. If you just hire people
with ads on their resume,
they’ll probably make you
some more ads.

53. Duncan/Channon We made this, and it’s not an ad 9 March 2012 53
Real labs have tools, not just Twitter

56. Duncan/Channon We made this, and it’s not an ad 9 March 2012 56
Google 20% time

57. Duncan/Channon We made this, and it’s not an ad 9 March 2012 57
Big Spaceship: “IP Fridays”
“You take the traditional corporate
summer Friday where everybody’s
supposed to be allowed to leave at
2 p.m… we close to client work and
spend from 2 to 7 working on our
own internal projects. And the ideas
for those come from anywhere in
the company.”
– Michael Lebowitz, founder and C.E.O. of Big Spaceship:
“Hey, Rock Stars: Take Your Show Someplace Else”
- nytimes.com

60. Duncan/Channon We made this, and it’s not an ad 9 March 2012 60
Fuseproject: skin in the game
“Advertising is the
price companies pay
for being unoriginal.”
– Yvés Behar

61. Duncan/Channon We made this, and it’s not an ad 9 March 2012 61
Anomoly
“Marketing includes the
product, the pricing
and the distribution, as
well as promotion.”
– Johnny Vulkan, Co-founder of Anomaly,
from ideaswilltravel.com

62. Duncan/Channon We made this, and it’s not an ad 9 March 2012 62
What DUMBO means
Creativity,
not technology
Products
and services
Collaboration
over hierarchy

63. Duncan/Channon We made this, and it’s not an ad 9 March 2012 63
MATTER
ɚɚ Founded by former Sapient/Nitro executive and BBDO ECD
ɚɚ 50% marketing, 50% product development
ɚɚ Pods of diverse talent depending on project

65. Duncan/Channon We made this, and it’s not an ad 9 March 2012 65
Documentary: versions
Long Short Raw
Approximately 45 minutes, segmented Approximately 10 minutes. Basically, For those who want to see and hear more,
into chapters, and suitable for network this would be a cut-down of the 45–min- or prefer to be more hands-on in their
airing with commercials or public TV ute version, concentrating on interview viewing, we would also develop a full cut
without. Available, in whole or in chap- highlights and the commentary of Yoko of each of the present-day interview seg-
ters, on the Lennon Room website, social and Maurice, along with highlights, like a ments. Basically, these would represent
media and elsewhere. movie trailer, of the other footage. Avail- each interview in its entirety, with minor
able on the Lennon Room site and else- editing to eliminate repetition, redundan-
where and for sharing on social media. cy and mistakes. These would be available
(tagged by speaker and divided into topi-
cal subchapters) on the Lennon Room
site and for sharing elsewhere on the web
and on social media.

67. Duncan/Channon We made this, and it’s not an ad 9 March 2012 67
Documentary: versions
Long Short Raw
Approximately 45 minutes, segmented
jose.caballer@thegroop.net Approximately 10 minutes. Basically, For those who want to see and hear more,
into chapters, and suitable for network this would be a cut-down of the 45–min- or prefer to be more hands-on in their
airing with commercials or public TV ute version, concentrating on interview viewing, we would also develop a full cut
without. Available, in whole or in chap- highlights and the commentary of Yoko of each of the present-day interview seg-
ters, on the Lennon Room website, social and Maurice, along with highlights, like a ments. Basically, these would represent
media and elsewhere. movie trailer, of the other footage. Avail- each interview in its entirety, with minor
able on the Lennon Room site and else- editing to eliminate repetition, redundan-
where and for sharing on social media. cy and mistakes. These would be available
(tagged by speaker and divided into topi-
cal subchapters) on the Lennon Room
site and for sharing elsewhere on the web
and on social media.

69. Duncan/Channon We made this, and it’s not an ad 9 March 2012 69
Brands have heard the call

70. Final thoughts
90 March 2012

71. Duncan/Channon We made this, and it’s not an ad 9 March 2012 71
Final thoughts
Documentary: versions
1. What’s your reason for making?
2. Find (or hire) your makers
3. Beware old ideas in new clothes
Long Short Raw
4. Mistrust hierarchy, legacy structures and roles
Approximately 45 minutes, segmented Approximately 10 minutes. Basically, For those who want to see and hear more,
5. Give people time to make
into chapters, and suitable for network
airing with commercials or public TV
this would be a cut-down of the 45–min-
ute version, concentrating on interview
or prefer to be more hands-on in their
viewing, we would also develop a full cut
without. Available, in whole or in chap- highlights and the commentary of Yoko of each of the present-day interview seg-
6. Institutionalize collaboration
ters, on the Lennon Room website, social and Maurice, along with highlights, like a ments. Basically, these would represent
media and elsewhere. movie trailer, of the other footage. Avail- each interview in its entirety, with minor
7. Be agile in thought and action able on the Lennon Room site and else-
where and for sharing on social media.
editing to eliminate repetition, redundan-
cy and mistakes. These would be available
(tagged by speaker and divided into topi-
8. No permission required cal subchapters) on the Lennon Room
site and for sharing elsewhere on the web
and on social media.

72. So go make something
that’s not an ad
(and then tell me about it)
@robbiew
rwhiting@duncanchannon.com