The advertising industry has always reflected the times—adapting, innovating, and evolving in response to societal, technological, and cultural shifts. From the Mad Men days of print and broadcast dominance to the data-driven digital age, agencies have consistently found ways to reinvent themselves. With the advent of artificial intelligence (AI), the industry is once again experiencing...
In an industry where buzzwords and generalizations often cloud the conversation, it’s crucial to peel back the layers and focus on the essence of what businesses truly seek in an advertising agency partner. Despite all the rhetoric about innovation, disruption, and creativity, my 45 years of experience with businesses of all sizes have allowed me...
In a world saturated with information and content, it’s easy to overlook the profound impact that great creative work can have on all of us. Whether it’s a captivating piece of art, an inspiring story, or a powerful message, the essence of creativity lies in its ability to capture our attention, challenge our thinking, and...
As I am approaching 46 years in the advertising agency business – from Madison Avenue to Orlando and everything in between – I am often asked what advice I would give to build a winning local advertising agency. Of course I could write a book on such a subject, but ultimately my readers digest answer...
As we age, I think we all reflect on a life once was and reminisce about “how fun things use to be”. Was the advertising agency business more fun back in the day? In my opinion, it was. I was recently sharing with my team that today’s workplace and workday just seems to have become...
In case you haven’t noticed, the advertising agency landscape has changed, and the rules of engagement are not always fair. Over the past few years, we’ve written and talked about the advantages that small agencies like 78Madison have, but recently, another trend is worth looking at – the fact that clients themselves are now treating...
As someone who has been knee deep in the advertising agency business for over 40 years, the type of people I look for in 2024 are dramatically different from past decades. In today’s fast-paced and dynamic advertising landscape, success isn’t just about creativity or business acumen alone – it’s about a unique blend of skills,...
Another Ad Bowl – I mean Super Bowl – Sunday is behind us, and I’m sure everyone is standing around the water cooler this morning chatting about the best commercials of the game – are water coolers a thing anymore? I thought the commercials were trying too hard to be creative and on top of...
I was reminiscing about the good ole days in the advertising agency business with a friend who like me got their start on Madison Avenue in New York City. Both of us continue to run advertising agencies some 45+ years later, but the paradigm shift in our industry is mind-blowing when you think about it....
The “way to early” debate on the certain demise of the advertising industry due to AI continues to rage. Over past few months, I’ve had many discussions with folks in the advertising agency business, as well as with photographers, web developers, software engineers and more, and the response to the impact of AI is either...