Advertising Age - Small Agency Diary

Are We Ever Going to Top the Greatest Super Bowl Ad of All Time?
If we compare the most popular Super Bowl commercials from year to year, they all fall short of the one that got this magnificent obsession going in the first place: Apple's "1984." That iconic creation still leads everyone's list of the best ever. Why haven't we taken another huge leap and topped it?

Two True Hall of Famers in the Ad Business: One Famous, One Not

Two inductees into the One Club's Hall of Fame, Rob Lawton, co-founder of Creative Circus, and Apple's Steve Jobs both pushed others to achieve the impossible.

Paterno's Legacy Includes Lessons for Building a Great Brand

Joe Paterno's model for successful marketing of a national brand: set a smart strategy, instill the right cultural values and execute at the highest level.

Study: More Regional Ad Agencies Budget for Digital Specialists
Social content, web development, analytics and display are significantly different specialties. Yet most agencies don't have the budget to hire full-timers.

How Do You Keep the 'Family Feel' as Your Team Grows?

Small agencies can keep their valued family feel by paying careful attention to all employees, promoting mutual respect and offering opportunities for growth.

10 Things to Do to Improve Service in 2012

Ten things to do in 2012 that will improve an agency's service to clients, including mastering social media, developing talent and cultivating partnerships.

When We Do Our Job Right, We Do Much More Than Just Create Ads

An ad agency's job isn't just to create ads but to provide advice and counsel. Achieving this level of of trust requires an honest relationship with clients.

In the Rush to Digital, Leave Room for the Millions Who Still Like TV and Print

Ad dollars are moving from traditional media to digital, which makes sense. But a shift to all-digital could actually decrease brand awareness.

Keys to a Better 2012: Learn Skills. Be Challenged. Stay Fresh.

All ad agencies face obstacles, and the successful ones manage to hammer bad luck into submission by broadening talents and staying fresh and ahead of trends

A Great Motivator? There's Nothing Your Agency Has to Fear About Fear

Fear can be wielded as a positive tool in an advertising agency to motivate creative employees who thrive on new challenges and take pride in conquering them

Push Clients Out of the Gate With Mobile, Before It's Too Late

Advertising seems unthinkable without mobile, but many companies struggle to get started. A good way to begin is by updating an important existing campaign.

Avoiding the Tired Old Solution While Keeping the Timid Client Happy

An agency keeps it creative teams fresh by rotating team members, while leadership stays consistent, and including newer designers in brainstorming sessions.

In Rough Times, Look Back and See How Far Your Agency Has Come

A year-end review of business in a languishing economy can show improvements in process and morale that leave an agency better positioned for the future

Beware Coasting: It Can Sap an Agency's Lifeblood and Grind Momentum to a Halt

An agency owner tempted to take a breather from the grinding workload must avoid this to maintain momentum, keeping irons in the fire and setting an example

Penn State Had Plenty of Time, but It Didn't Have a Crisis Plan

Penn State officials had months to prepare for the communications crisis caused by child sex-abuse charges, but it had no emergency plan to control its message

If We're Not So Vital to Clients Any More, It's Our Own Fault

Ad agencies are losing clout with clients because they resist leading the way into the new-media future, instead debating what the impact of technology will be

Who's the Genius in Our Midst That We're Not Listening To?

Steve Jobs is celebrated as a genius for pushing boundaries and visionary thinking, but in our own shops we can be too defensive to let such colleagues flourish.

Goodbye to Office Politics: When Workers Lead the Culture, Collaboration Follows

A team of 20 committees of employee volunteers has authority to shape the office culture at Carrot Creative, lowering frustration and encouraging collaboration