Ian Sohn is a global client lead at WPP. Formerly, Sohn was CEO, Wunderman Thompson (Central Region), and before that Managing Director at SapientRazorfish. He is also one of the advertising professionals who I most want to hear from on Twitter each day. This is the case because I value calm, patient people with an inclusive approach and a well-considered point of view. Sohn is an agency leader who knows. I am …
I Hear Advertising Voices. Do You Hear Them Too?
The waves of change are here. Consequently, people are searching for their sea legs. Ad people are also painting pictures of dark and/or dreamy futures. Here's one picture that is not pleasing to my senses... McKinney CEO Joe Maglio, writing in Ad Age, believes there's a compelling need for trophies, no matter what: Many of the talented creative thinkers in our industry look forward to holding their work …
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Now for the Good News: Here’s A Growing List of Smokin’ Hot Jay Oh Bees
It's Tuesday morning. Depending on your location, it's week three (give or take) of the global and totally unprecedented information worker lockdown. Did you know that as many as 1.5 billion people are working from home today? A handful of these people working from home are creative recruiters. And a handful of that handful have jobs they need to fill. Yes, now. In the midst of deep concerns about the future …
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Ad Biz Is Facing Dire Outlooks for 2020 Revenue, New Business, and Jobs
How are you feeling about the future of your agency and your job? Or if you're primarily an independent contractor, what is your outlook? I am hearing anecdotally from friends in the business that things look pretty bleak on the horizon. Then there are the press reports to weigh, which I will now do... Let's start with the NY Post: The coronavirus pandemic could slash as much as $3 billion from advertising …
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Advisors Gonna Advise
Advertising people are advisors and consultants to CEOs and CMOs. We also make things, but that follows the discovery and strategic planning phases. Right now, in the face of a global pandemic, there's a new kind of advice emerging. Lots of people are genuinely offering to help others in distress, while others are working to find new models to support themselves. Let's take a look... David Angelo, founder of …
Fear of Unemployment Is Spreading Fast, Ad Workers Far from Immune
Fear sells. Fear also spreads. People who work in advertising are correct to feel fear, right now. According to The New York Times, more than a million Americans are expected to lose their jobs by the end of March. According to Moody’s Analytics, nearly 80m jobs in the US are currently at risk due to the coronavirus, more than half of the jobs in the US economy. Impacts are being felt throughout the retail, …
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Courting Positivity
Court Crandall is a positive person. He also an advertising legend and Hollywood storyteller with one infectious idea after the next. Crandall's latest idea, The Positivity Magnet, is an interactive installation that helps draw positive thoughts and emotions from the people who encounter it. It's like a waterless wishing well, but with wishes that others can read. “I want to hopefully show that all our …
Because Ian Sohn, 48, Is Smart, He Knows That Ageism Is Dumb
Ian Sohn of WPP is 48 years old. Old enough to have gained the critical experiences and insights that lead one to wisdom. He shared some of his knowledge with Adweek, recently. The article is behind the trade magazine's paywall, but Sohn kindly provided a PDF version for non-subscribers. I love how Sohn says (in the article), "...the thing is I was never young. My youth was never a professional asset. Being …
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