After Sorrell’s departure, adland truly is no country for old men
Martin Sorrell’s departure reflects the end of an era for WPP – and the advertising industry as a whole – says Vamp’s Ben McGrath.
Advertising lost one of the original members of the old guard this weekend as Sir Martin Sorrell resigned from WPP. The 73-year-old was the company’s founder and Britain’s highest paid executive.
Regardless of the recent allegations of misconduct, Sorrell built WPP into an empire. He turned a two man business into an advertising powerhouse employing 200,000 staff in 112 countries and after 33 years, he was the longest-serving CEO on the FTSE 100 blue chip index.
I wonder if you know what Sir Martin actually did for a living?
I have never read such a crock of shit in my life.
You must not read much.
I do. And it’s still drivel.
…we should abandon traditional methods and only look towards social and influencer marketing.
Get with the times you dinosaurs!
This is a joke right? Influencer marketing, what a crock of shit, nobody’s who think they’re famous (ummm you’re not famous, you just think they are) have fuck all influence over anyone.
You’re right Ben – let’s shift more advertising budget into the non-audited and un-regulated influencer industry
There are no ads on Netflix to skip.
A typically poorly researched, factually flawed, and naively written piece of ‘Pro-Digital’ schlock.
‘a new generation of agency leader. Digital natives who grew up online’
#bestclicheever
I’m one of those dinosaurs who didn’t grow up online.
Because there wasn’t an online when we were young. But we could envision it.
So you know what, we had to invent and then create it. So it’s such a shame that we apparently have no idea of how to use, commercialise, and keep safe what we invented. In my life I’ve always found that invention and creation are greater skills than simple usage.
So nicely said Paul! I will remember this in my next talk on diversity – thanks for making the point.
I see ageism is flourishing in the Australian comms sector!
How about we all chip into to crowdsource him with a bigger crock in which to dump the next load of swill?
This opinion piece is perhaps the strongest case for why advertising absolutely needs “old men” and women more than ever. TV, OOH , print, these media in fact deliver greater reach and effectiveness than any amount of social media and native content. Can you seriously be that ill informed about the basic principles of advertising and brand effectiveness.
Agree.
We absolutely need people with experience to explain why this narrow thinking is the end of us. Not the answer.
Remember when Direct Mail was the end of advertising? LOL.
C://Program Files/ My Documents/Crap Folder
Gezza, you can reach 15 million Aussies on social. Maybe 70% of that if you buy on all 3 TV networks. Dumb comment.
All channels work, they’re just different and obviously have different roles.
And yes, ads as a whole are becoming less effective. But influencer marketing is not a fucking solution either.
Mumbrella really need to look at what they allow to be published to this site.
It’s scary that this level of thinking comes from someone who evidently has quite a senior position in market.
“Those ignoring the ‘skip ad’ cue on Netflix…”
This guy really knows his stuff.
Thank the Lord for Digital Natives.
@Paul R
Did you just take credit for inventing the internet?
‘skip ad’ cue on Netflix
MRDA.
(Sorry if you don’t understand – it’s a pre-digital reference).
Since when did the consumption habits of ‘digital natives’ act as the norm for all of Australia?
With over a third of Australians living in country areas, some whose phone connection drops in and out of service and their patchy internet connection reduces their ability to be reached by ‘thumb stopping content’, who and what do you imagine their influences and trusted sources are?
@Anonymous, don’t know why you don’t put your name to that comment, it’s a great point.
I just don’t get why we need generalisations for every single thing in marketing. The truth has nuance. We’ve turned into a profession of Donald Drumpfs.
Since when does Netflix run ads? This is … amateur at best.