Kicking off ad:tech New York 2006, incoming ad:tech Chair Drew Ianni gave outgoing ad:tech Chair and current ad:tech Chair emeritus Susan Bratton a nice nod touting her tireless work over the tears growing ad:tech through thick and thin and presented her a giant bushel of roses.
Ianni told the audience this year’s ad:tech, in addition to 10,800 pre-registered attendees, has 330 exhibitors. He then discussed ad:tech’s global expansion which new and planned shows acoss the globe in London, Sydney, Paris, Hamburg, Mumbai, Bubai, Tokyo and others. Also announced was a fourth domestic show in Miami June 26-28, 2007.
Ianni then reviewed the state of the online advertising citing such nuggets as revenue hitting $20 billion in the next year, consumer packaged goos spending hitting $1 billion and online video revenue hitting $1.3 billion in 2008. China’s also expected to get active with $200 million in revenue predicted by 2008.
After the overview, Ianni introduced BBDO Chairman and Chief Creative Officer David Lubars who mostly continue’s BBDO’s mantra of “insight” as the driving force behind making great creative. Seems we’ve heard that before from former BBDO legend Phil Dusenberry but there’s nothing like carrying on tradition. Related to insight, Lubars told the audience agencies shouldn’t have to convince their clients to go online stating the insight, as the driving factor, would make that decision a no brainer.
Lubars shared some of his ageny’s work including work for the Dodge Caliber which positioned the vehicle as sort of a wise ass which beget the ageny’s Pig and Bear creation in which the two try to make nice with the vehicle but wimply end up on a plate as food. BW Films was covered but that’s been over-talked for so long we’ll spare you the details here.
In response to Lanni who asked what scares Lubars, Lubars noted the offensiveness the over-proliferation of advertising into every corner of life has wrought on the public and the anger it creates. He’s particularly worried about in-game advertising and product placement that takes away from an individual’s experiencing a given medium without feeling like they are continuously being sold.
Lubars is agnostic about media (who isn’t these days) and, again, mention insight as the driving force behind determining a media mix. Lubars isn’t worried about new media killing out saying it’s not an “either or” situation but an “and” situation. People still watch TV and they still read magazines. They’ve just added new behaviors made possible by new media. Lubars, with his very laissez faire attitude, says he open to anything and doesn’t feel it necessary to have hard and fast rules concerning the approach to advertising in general. The attitude is portrays Lubars as that of typical, carefree, non-committal creative person as well as a man who simply admits no one can have all the answers and shouldn’t fool anyone into thinking they do.
