Traditional agencies are ‘lost’ in the online content space
The founder of 
Sydney-based branded content agency Tick Content, which launched this month, has said traditional PR and creative agencies are “lost” when it comes to creating marketing content for the web.
“PR and creative agencies are good at monologue marketing,” said Peter Applebaum, managing director of Tick Content, an off shoot of the social media marketing agency, Tick Yes. “But in the online content space, they are lost. They are just not set up for it.”
“Content is not about a one-off campaign you can walk away from. It’s a CRM discipline and has to be carefully managed,” he said. “It’s not just a single big idea that counts, but a hundred little details that keep the consumer coming back.”
“Traditional agencies too often approach content like a guy who goes out with a girl, proposes to her after a few months, then doesn’t speak to her again.”
Applebaum’s Tick Yes business has offered marketing content for the last three years, and has now seen the need for a specialist in the area.
“We have tried outsourcing content in the past. But what we got back was substandard. So we brought it inhouse,” he explained.
Among Tick Content’s clients are Bayer’s Advantix, a worming drug for dogs, for which the agency runs a branded social community, Land Com and ad:tech.
Another example of marketing content done well is Jurassic Lounge, an online community for the Australian Museum, Applebaum noted: “They’re turned their backs on the dusty, boring way of doing things, and presented the museum in a new light for the younger generation.”
Yawn.
Been hearing this narrative for nearly 15 fucking years.
Totally sick to death of it…
Next.
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About time the big “creative agencies” were outed by REAL specialists in this area…good content is not for the creative flash in the pans.
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Don’t know if these guys are any good, but they have to be an improvement on what really is boring ie the content or lack of it on most corporate sites.
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*Yawn* Heard it all before – Oh well, your Cap’n will rouse himself from his mid-afternoon slumber to comment on the latest “Next Big Thing” to insist on our attention.
So Herr Applebaum, you’re just what the doctor ordered to save us all from our collective ignorance, yes?
Splendid! How very insightful and magnanimous of you. Where do I sign?
“Traditional agencies too often approach content like a guy who goes out with a girl, proposes to her after a few months, then doesn’t speak to her again.”
Worming Dogs? Puuurlease! If that’s what you’re floats your beloved’s boat, I’m glad you’ve taken that bitch out of the market.
And your photo? You look like a real estate agent on his day off.
Salad doubts he’ll be hearing about you in the future.
Aufweidershein, pet.
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@Cap’n Salad – THUMBS UP!
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I think you should do your research before making such ill informed sweeping statements. How much do you actually know about campaigns that ‘creative agencies’ are producing? You don’t know what you don’t know mate. i think it’s a joke that you’ve used the Advantix ‘community’ as your best case. Is that the benchmark for us? On the average Web 1.0 website, you have no social media links to the mediocre individual content, only 212 fans on the Facebook site and you’ve obviously had to work hard at following people on Twitter to get your own following going. Relatively low too considering the number of dog owners in Australia. There’s good and bad of course but it’s often clients that hold back effective social media strategies through lack of understanding and belief. It’ll come though, slowly, and creative agencies will be perfectly placed to show you how it’s meant to be done.
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What ever happened to constructive criticism? We all know the industry is changing fast and further away from traditional mediums and more into online conversation. This article is written like a diced up slice of cheese so I doubt we’re getting the full scope of what this agency is doing!
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‘Monologue Marketing’?? Oh wait….I see what you’ve done there. I guess consumers are like putty in your hands online. So malleable. So talkative.
Or maybe not……
http://tpdsaa.tumblr.com/
Hey I guess it beats Real Estate big guy.
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I believe it’s very easy to make sweeping statements about weaknesses in the industry, but I also think it’s too easy, to make harsh and non-objective criticism.
I agree with Brian that agencies can only go so far with their clients, and that clients themselves need to be better educated in the benefits of having good content and connectivity online.
If you have any idea about what’s happening in the industry at the moment, you would know that everyone is talking about content. Last week’s ad:tech conference solidifies that sentiment, and if you were actually there you’d know that everyone was talking about the need for effective content. Mr Applebaum is obviously very intuitive when it comes to predicting change and evolution in the industry, and is attempting to contribute his knowledge and resources to offering a variety of services.
I don’t know who this ‘Cap’n Salad’ guy is, but whatever dressing he has over him is a bit too sour for my liking. Who the hell calls themselves Cap’n Salad anyway? Talk about sounding dated “yaaaaaawwwwwwnnnnn”
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I agree. Many of the typical agencies are used to the old way of doing things and probably do not see much value in quality content. About time somebody saw the light and started something that is dedicated to producing substantial content.
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And just to point out @Cap’n Salad – you obviously have no idea and need help with your content:
“If that’s what you’re floats your beloved’s boat, I’m glad you’ve taken that bitch out of the market.”
You should head to the nearest book shop and buy yourself a book on grammar.
Hmm and by the way, REAs are probably one of the most well-paid professions who could probably do a better job on writing content on their day-off so I wouldn’t burn another bridge there. I’d like to see you put up your photo, but judging by your display name, you’re probably too much of a coward to even put up a real one.
I hope this comment has been insightful and magnanimous 🙂
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Senor @Turovski – baste me with your favourite dressing if it’ll help me go down with you a little better.
Mademoiselle @Clooney – you are clearly an apologist for that low-life class of Estate Agents, so I’d appreciate it if you would do us all a favour and set fire to yourself.
The Salad has spoken!
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The problem with all the new-age monologue/conversation/web 2.0 spruikers is they come out swinging about all that is wrong with traditional agencies blah blah and often have no runs on the board or business success credentials to back it up.
They often produce one example of whatever they are selling, in this case a “branded social community” (for dog worming, really??!!) and claim the high ground.
Given their (admitted) narrow field of expertise they can see nothing of the rest of the communications strategy of large marketers and their agencies so understandably the agency community smashes them.
Could I suggest that Mr Applebaum may find some success in partnering agencies to deliver branded content in the context of their overall communications strategies for clients. The agency community has long relied on specialists to execute in certain fields, think tvc production, photography, events etc.
The sooner these guys find their place in the comms world and spare us the lectures we’ll all be better off.
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I soooo agree that Capnsalad should get in the Now and use his/her own name.
His/her faux monika smacks of old school crossword puzzler.
Yes trendspotters I am using my real name on everything now except game-play.
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ditto @Rob
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why the bitchyness on good ol Cap’n Salad?? Me thinks he does good, his satirical wit is appreciated by many.
Re the story i’m with *yawn* – am concerned that since Tim posts these aggrandising PR releases so often it excites all the new agencies into such a frenzy they believe they are a new form of business pitching.
sad really innit
ps. sorry tim – do love your work, especially the early stuff ;0)
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Sure bring in the specialists.
Agencies have to realise they cant do everything.
Its time they learnt that.
Smart agencies have groups of expertise they can bring in when needed.
I dont know many leading agencies that have staff who truly get the internet.
I dont know an agency that builds good websites.
Just look at some of them ,pointless try hard ,too much flash etc etc
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Guess this guy has effectively cut out most of his new biz opportunities with one, ill-conceived press release – nice work.
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@Cap’n Salad
HAHAHAHA dude, you just made me laugh so hard my stomach hurt. PLEASE continue your obscure ramblings on the comment threads
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WHY OH WHY do we always have to make out that digital is difficult!
If you know your target audience then capturing their attention online is low hanging fruit!!
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