A very well written article that reflects the trend towards agency / communication specialisation in an increasingly segmented communication world.

Article Excerpt:

Forrester Research believes today’s ad agencies are not well-structured to take on tomorrow’s marketing challenges, needing to move from making messages to establishing community connections.

In a new report, the research firm paints a grim view of the current state of advertising, which it believes is in “a world of hurt” because consumers are tuning out the messages the industry is predicated on producing. Instead, it believes shops need to be organized around communities, not disciplines. What it is calling “the connected agency” would not only know certain communities but also be active members of these groups. Pushing messages would give way to encouraging voluntary engagement, and ongoing conversations would replace time-based campaigns.

Full article: AdWeek

The MARCOM Opportunity

Sure, it is easy to project that we need vertical specialist to fill every insight / connection niche, but clients must be worried how they will control an increasingly fragmented vendor roster if they dare to open this ‘Pandoras Box’. Hence, the Babelfish proposition: Integrated strategic planning.

If you are interested in the full Forrester report… as usual, I sure that I know someone, who knows someone etc etc who has it.