This past Tuesday, I attended an intimate discussion on the future of creativity in advertising hosted by Bill Gates and Steve Davis (CEO of Corbis) in New York City. The discussion was led by a handful of Madison Avenue heavy-hitters and attended by thirty executives from all corners of the ad world… and me.
How the hell did I end up there?
A few short weeks ago I met Gary Shenk, the president of Corbis, during the Toronto leg of his global tour. We sparked up a conversation about social media and the future of creativity in which I offered him some radical trust insight on the stock photography business and in turn, he offered me some beer for my ramblings. The relationship could not have been forged in a more equitable exchange.
This discussion led to others, and an invite to this intriguing “Creativity 2.0″ event in NYC with Bill Gates.
I immediately accepted. You would too.
The session was moderated by the ever-irreverent Bob Garfield of Advertising Age, who at one point muttered, “didn’t quite catch his full name, but I would like to introduce you to Bill …”. Bob is a fantastic character. (I don’t read Ad Age anymore, but he’s a regular contributor to the “Ad Age Audio Report” podcast which I highly recommend.)
Bill Gates opened his talk by sharing a personal story. This past Christmas, when the end-of-year issue of Time Magazine arrived on his doorstep, he was thrilled to find he had been named Time Person of the Year, making it two years in a row. He followed with a quip, “too bad this year I have to share it with 6 billion others!”
We giggled.
Digital rights management in the social media age, the need for new billing models in the ad world, the emerging media of IPTV and the inevitable future of “opt-in mass advertising” all dominated the discussion.
The one insight I can offer from sitting amongst these heavy players: they know as much as the rest of us and it’s going to be up to all of us to figure it out.
Here are some of the highlights I feverishly wrote down. Remember, I am a blogger, not a reporter. The quotes are close, but don’t quote me.
Regarding the future of mass media:
Given a long enough timeframe … all mass ads will be targeted to individuals.
Bill Gates
Regarding DRM:
The notion that everybody is a pirate is false.
Steve Davis, CEO, Corbis
Regarding the evolution of media:
Traditional media is not dead, non-traditional is dead … You can no longer consider the internet non-traditional, it is extraordinarily traditional now.
David Jones, CEO, Euro RSCG.
Regarding the future of mass advertising:
In the future everything will be permission-based.
Jan Leth CCO, Ogilvy & Mather
Regarding executive attitudes towards the shift:
Too many people right now are saying ‘I have 5 years left in my career, I don’t care about it anyway’.
Jan Leth, CCO, Ogilvy & Mather
Regarding stock photography and other commonly pirated material:
Give the people what they want; quality, meta data, a fair price, and they will pay for the “right click”.
Steve Davis, CEO, Corbis
Regarding the future of the 30 second spot:
The 30 second spot is not dead, it is permission based… The Super Bowl is live, I want to watch it live so I can’t TiVo it. There is the permission.
Jan Leth CCO Ogilvy & Mather
Regarding Second Life and other immersive worlds:
3D virtual worlds are just beginning to show up on the web, consider a future where these will be common place.
Bill Gates
Regarding DRM and consumer-generated media
We live in a world where DRM is protecting the property of content creators, yet we acknowledge that consumer-generated media contributes to the brand equity of a web site like YouTube. Should those consumers not demand equity in these properties for their efforts? Where is the $1.65 billion for Star Wars kid?
Collin Douma, Creative Director, MacLaren MRM
My key take-away: Advertising’s top players are beginning to realize the metrics have changed. Mass advertising is no longer about impressions, it is about engagement. What makes people nervous is that you can’t buy engagement, you have to earn it. This is the playground that invites radical trust.
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18 Responses to “My Morning with Bill Gates”
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March 10th, 2007 at 10:25 pm
My Morning with Bill Gates…
This past Tuesday, I attended an intimate discussion on the future of creativity in advertising hosted by Bill Gates and Steve Davis (CEO of Corbis) in New York City. The discussion was led by a handful of Madison Avenue heavy-hitters and attended by t…
March 11th, 2007 at 5:20 pm
Collin,
Glad to hear it went so well. Sounds like an enlightening encounter with some illustrious company.
What is most encouraging about this report for me is to see such industry leaders eschewing protectionism of their tried and true methods and recognizing that the consumer is in the ascendency.
Of course the very existence of the get-together suggests the blinders aren’t on, but it’s good to see that backed up by real dialogue.
J.
March 11th, 2007 at 6:05 pm
yes, the event was certainly enlightening. Corbis is on the right track with this. They are trying to position themselves as more than a stock photo agency. I can dig that.
March 11th, 2007 at 10:06 pm
You are the coolest. Great quotes, can’t wait to hear more about the experience.
March 12th, 2007 at 4:37 am
Hello friend,
Got your article link via a google alert for “stock photography”. I started selling my photos 2 years ago by people directly contacting me on Flickr.
I had taken photos for years but never believed in my talent, recently I sold a 2 megapixel snapshot I took for fun in Atlanta to an Italian magazine for 400 euros! Couldnt believe it!
I am excited that this digial area has allowed me to sell my photos and share my amateur photojournalism while living in a small town in Brazil and now as an Italian in Berlin I can pursue a career.. and work for a british photographer here I met on Flickr.
He was on Flickr blog, wrote him, we meet at Jules Verne café in Berlin, now I am his assistant.
Many old.time photographers are cursing Flickr and the stock photography sites, but I say… adapt and evolve with the times.. it will be getting more radical and exciting …
March 12th, 2007 at 10:30 am
Glad to hear that it went well. Also glad to hear that the “powers that be” are flailing around as much as the rest of us, at least they are flailing.
The transition we are now going through is definitely going to be hardest for ad agencies, as they have the most vested interest in the current system and also the biggest attitude shift to make in embracing social media.
March 12th, 2007 at 11:27 am
No Julia, you are the coolest. Thanks for the note, i will be sure to give you the details next time we catch up. 3rd Tuesday perhaps?
see you soon.
c
March 12th, 2007 at 11:35 am
Joao
Welcome to radicaltrust, and thank you for posting your comments. Congrats on your new found talents in photography. The fact is, you probably always have been a great photographer. It is nice to see you earn some pay for it. The web sure makes the world smaller.
I have not been to the cafe you noted in Berlin, however, i did visit Berlin last fall. What an amazing town! Sounds like photography has made you a globe trotter!
I would love to see your shots, perhaps we can hook up on flickr. My screen name is Gendoo … http://flickr.com/photos/gendoo/
send me your link!
All the best, and good luck with your new career!
collin
March 12th, 2007 at 11:43 am
Douglas
I think you nailed it on the head. The ad folks do have the most to lose from this change. However, I also think they have the most to gain. Particularly the ones that embrace the changes. Walking amongst us is the new Ogilvy, the New Leo… Somebody alive today will be the one who breaks the formula and gets this to work. He/She is probably not a Sr. Ad exec, or even a 2nd tier exec. Perhaps it is you! I love these times, of opportunity. I wish more people would see it this way… i digress…
thanks for the note
collin
March 12th, 2007 at 6:07 pm
??? huh, you came down to New York to help rewrite the Dead Parrot sketch ???
March 12th, 2007 at 6:09 pm
…and you didn’t even call
March 12th, 2007 at 6:39 pm
Sorry Gord… Had a meeting…
Next time I will contact you, this one was all business.
You my friend, are all pleasure!
cheers
collin
March 12th, 2007 at 11:55 pm
wow – sounds like a great experience. loved the sound bites. i’m so glad you decided to go.
March 13th, 2007 at 3:20 pm
Wouldn’t have missed it!
Thanks for the note jooles!
Hows things in the big hair state?
March 14th, 2007 at 11:34 am
Ils l’ont dit…
Andy Mulholland, le Global Chief Technology Officer de Capgemini, a évoqué hier le potentiel de Second Life en basant son argumentaire sur les exemples de Scion (Toyota), d’ABM Amro et de l’ambassade de Suède :SL represents both an important new…
March 16th, 2007 at 1:12 pm
Of all the great quotes, the one that struck me the most was Jan Leth’s comment that too many executives are saying ‘I have 5 years left in my career, I don’t care about it anyway’.
If this is true (and I can imagine that it is), it’s going to be REALLY interesting to see what happens when a new generation moves up (or into) the executive ranks within organizations.
March 16th, 2007 at 4:34 pm
I agree Bill… What a brave new world that will be. That is not to say the current people should not adapt, I’m sure that is not what you are suggesting. But the notion that the next generation will be moving in where adaptation is not required will put this all on a new level.
cheers
c
September 19th, 2008 at 2:16 pm
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