AdWeek Reprint Marketing Guide - (Page 3) Interactive Agency of the Year EDITORIAL REPRINTS are customized printed 1 9/25/ 1-25135941 out XSE v1:Lay 10/1/08 10:50 AM Page 1 R/GA A potent tech-creative c potent tec t tech-creative combo fuels its rise to the top BY BRIAN MORRISSEY 08 6:04 hen R/GA CEO Bob Greenberg talks about creativi- envelope-pushing creative and knack for building compelling a PM Page matter—there ty—or anything for that matter—there’s no telling brand experiences, R/GA is Adweek’s Interactive Agency of the Year 1 mi where the conversation will end up. It might start, sim- for 2006. narrat ply enough, with a discourse on narrative structure, The solid performance is a testament to the agency’s unique tak then veer off to Bauhaus, before taking another approach, forged by its roots as a production studio three decades 2007 detour to touch on Miami Vice and Lonely LonelyGirl15. With ago, making technology the equal of creativity. During the 1980s, it AUGUS T 8, its zigs and zags, the soft-spoken monologue can, at times, bewilder, but used computer-assisted filmmaking to create thousands of movie when taken as a whole, his point becomes crystal clear: The nature of trailers and TV ads, leading Greenberg to conclude during R/GA’s T storytelling is changing in a world shifting from analog to digital transition in the 1990s to an interactive agency that it should keep anal media. technology as a core competency. When broadband became ubiqui.COM In much the same way, the 58-year-old—known for his trademark tous, R/GA already had several years experience building high-perh WWW.A DWEEK beret and all-black ensembles (even in the 90-deg 90-degree heat of formance Web sites made for fast connection speeds. Unlike digitalCannes)—has created R/GA, melding technological firepower, cre- ly fluent agencies such as Goodby, Silverstein & Partners and Crispin fi ative acumen and growing strategic chops to try to shape what adver- Porter + Bogusky, R/GA takes pride in the fact that its work is not shap tising will look like in the future. just dreamed up in-house but also executed there. In 2006 Greenberg’s industry homily, premised on the notion that th “The line between technology and creativity is more of a gradaWWW. ADWE EK.CO M digital would reside at the heart of advertising, started to come into tion,” says Nick Law, R/GA’s North American chief creative officer. focus. Content began to move freely in a variety of digital media. Inter- “That’s a hard thing for a lot of traditional agencies to accept.” XS went active initiatives catapulted to the top of brands’ agendas. Consumers agendas An application like the music mixer created for Verizon would be AUGU S Calif.-based to ST 11-18, Laguna Beach, ptcy a few years ago 2008 expressed themselves, digitally, through easy-to-use tools on sites like impossible without this setup. The feature, which debuted in July, tool his Drinks credit Yet more than reinforcing the cliché that the consumer is in combines video footage of famous beatbox artists and a sound from XS Energy from near bankru million despite a tiny YouTube. co en of XS Energy Executives outreach the s discussed sales of $150 it bucked SAN DIEGO David Vandeve ve turnaround on teen . the gathering upheaval proved Greenberg’s view that adver- mixer, inviting visitors to mix their own beats to forward to friends, control, vie Method cleaner strategic 2007 ing budget because VOL. XLIX more place by dis- Firm’s impressi distribution channelsneeds to be more useful, often less gimmicky, and ultimately post in a gallery or embed in their blog. The “big idea” is driven by Drinks and tising an NO. 25 nies can apply They shared market nal beverage market and and nontraditional how compa ful. /Quixtar traditio rewarding to consumers. the innovative use of technology, showing off the power of broadAmway be success Bull, g through ay at the Amerthinking to person buying “I think he’s a visionary,” says Brian Price, execu executive director band connectivity. The payoff, Price says, was bloggers’ surprise that such as Red s here yesterd ising Agen- tributin g on mom—or the t leaders g extremetheir insight “focusin of Verizon’s online center of excellence. for marke tion of Advert ence. while activatin the home” ican Associa Planning Confer said. “He’s usually million market well ahead of most. I’m sure a t teens. devel- for sell- he d. only a $3 cies’ Accoun veen, the strategic at Metho sports-orientedd on sampling and lot of people have trouble following the Ryan had Drinks, Vander tions,” to work with planner got focuse David promo “We visions he has.” r at XS Energy in ing budget former Fallon the cost of g on the opment directo of traditional market ing to cover so, the couldn’t get But R/GA delivered more than visions in d his the role said. “We was Even money, focusin dismissed company and credite most for his high-interest” poten- revenue over 35 percent to Vander veen 2006, expanding the e the companies und on teen an air war, becaus sponsored motion, research than the an estimated $150 million, the bulk of the l sive turnaro Consultan Instead, XS on the “high-e the “home” rather appeal of firm’s impres the use of nontraditiona of growth coming from existing clients like going down.” followed surfing know a billion in cy lands more and h, a tial low-emotion” lot of d, which outreach ed Krakoos than people reviews Avaya, Nike and Nokia. On the new-busidone a “price-driven, channels. end- Unsalte and launch and Cathe busy as good job u usy well, so far this $1.2 utors to NEW YORK distribution co-founder of eco-fri er Great Lakes, ness front, R/GA of mark rine has ships.” g about [clean- won the global lead digital for distrib with Ark cleaning. year In tests for eting past s sts d thinkin magazine ts provid handling ha tising review a relatively slow ss owners Eric Ryan, clients agency role for relation“We stoppe nce and startedL’Oréal Paris, besting the Sometimes seven conlike year leaning produc planning lifestyle independent busine s, Select va al le, al appea bad experie network firepower of Euro RSCG 4D and PLUG ’N’ PLAY: In the NikePlus campaign (left) R/GA created the middleware that transfers runners’ data from their adver- nival Cruise Lines Intel (media) it’s the ly home-c Resources for has worke P rs to be ing] as a said. For examp a former agency and Carcollectively (market e ses- make ambassadors. Internationle lectively d for; other companies grabbing of the beautiMethod and NikePlus.com. Verizon’s Beatbox Mixer campaign shows off the power of broadband connectivity. ative growth making it fun,” Ryan containersWorldGroup’s MRM Worldwide. iPods to Nik at a separat that SRI At Wach spend nearly eting servic action. a signif - brand times, it’s ally, and d McCann d “innov speaking ovia, for icant share a Davis and $500 millio es) that direc $5 the Since Janua executive, e market segmen XS achieve ic disruption” by focus- making the Metho For left enviable financial performance, handling be its out tor of globa example, Bensi people. for client n ed creativ cl . based consu ry, the Santa a half-d strateg ing, ha ozen annu- Smith they could not funcs on sion, preach l brand y for success thinking through t’s taste, Monica, ful meant nally appeal t American such as Cadb from ltancy reviews manageme knew strateg r rican medi profile ury Adam has taken Calif.the produc tired cer at RSM his days as chief tation as a on of a sugar- become more emotio had to segmen nt jobs as a) s nearly on such a ing on agreed that the nutriti by marketing Art a McGl subish Method $250 millio that as a group (North Block highBoth execs could hinder of tion; stressing after the i ($185 creative review offila; and selling to he said. Also, , for which adrey, a subsid sources. spend n a year, not going approaches out e Wachovia million), for Mitee formu iary of 35the SRI condu 2006. And according the most and staid ), the ia creati H&R a e a larger free, carb-fr targeting product. “We’re That said, Th cted a review ve and as ability to get ongoing million) to in what becam , rather than by said. “We’re the biggest.” . media marketing agencies “follo company’s and the the case to land big-tic SRI stands in ing budget raphic masses,” he , not w the marketing review ($145 of Home out for cir cles, often ask 45-year-old demog fo its ability ticularly so do consu people” a modest market Depot males at con- most valuable groups stiff comp ket searches, SRI. researchers ($550 millio services review the firm to tions often in ltants, parcans to young etition. scenario Traditional What’s is mana the face for both faulty assump Multiple individual the typical ging creati n). In addition, Global based on the consultants of rely solely more, SRI’s busin con hamburger,” venience stores, Hyatt questions ve search assignment Wachovia ess mode Corp., cows into vied PetSm es for Farmers offers agenc on clients for s. “We pretty and Home l doesn H art, pete for and turn “sacred ’t revenue. Insurance, ies a “feedb restaurant Edward Jones much have Depot script all said. SRI also h ack and and chain and ion progr Catherine the major review Vander veen to comconsulting es for Kohle am” for has comp Carrabba’s s,” said ranges Bension. sai SRI subsomeone an annua from $5,00 leted search (U.S. creati r (global media (U.S cr medi ) l fee that to be consi “People refer CEO say, $15,0 0 for a b - ences and L.L. one-office us as 00, dered ative and ve duties) and are usual Bean and our tiple office for a major Nvidia ly pretty media). network shop to referSources clients positi Collectivel (U.S. crewith muladditional s, said sourc spent addition also point to SRI’s ve.” es. y, those major measu more than dependent revenue streamAnd with that bandwidth $1.2 billio 11 five senio to Bension, the red media on client , SRI to Nielse consultancy (in and n in r last year, is less revenue n Moni has more skills and partners), relati according tor-Pl than its flexib Other a reserved. onship-min has http://www.Plus.com http://www.theYGSgroup.com/reprints htthttp://www.nxtbook.com/ygsreprints/ygs/ygs_nxtprintbook/index.php
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