How Technology Influences Innovation: The CLIO Conference Offers "Ideas that Inspire"

Last week's CLIO Event at the new Trump Soho Hotel in New York underscored how new media channels and advances in technology are changing current notions of advertising innovation. A dozen creative leaders from around the world shared their ideas, which ranged from concepts of what's cool now to thoughts of how pop culture and advertising interact to new ways that the digital world and the real world are blurring in successful campaigns.

The Internationalist offers a number of outtakes from those discussions to shed light on how today's innovative thinking is building break-through and effective advertising now.

Comments on How New Media Options Affect Creativity:

Will McGuinness, Creative Director/Associate Partner of Goodby, Silverstein & Partners, talked about how there are "as many new examples of innovative thinking as there are concepting ideas for brands." However, he believes that "finding the center of gravity" is way to navigate in today's world. "There are tons of media opportunities, but it is about finding what the brand is supposed to express and then doing that well. Integration doesn't mean checking off every box with an offering. Use the things that make sense for what you want to communicate, rather than using it all."

Mark Ghuneim, Founder & CEO of Wiredset, adds that "convergence is where it is getting interesting," but he agrees that "there is no shortage of technology or services—be the important or simply disruptive. It is an agency's responsibility to tell clients which options to embrace." He added, "We live in the most fast-moving and exciting times yet to occur in the world." New applications, technologies or media should only be used if they can help a client "make money, save money or deliver brand equity." Ghuneim believes that anything less is simply "an art project."

Trends to Watch

Doug Jaeger, President of the Art Directors Club, outlined how many of the latest advertising trends are occurring at the intersection of community and fashion. For example, the website, Chictopia, features photos that young women post of themselves wearing various brand-name clothes in order to share the looks with friends. Keds, a shoe brand with a small budget, created an authentic marketing connection with its target audience via the site. The company tracked the Keds tags on Chictopia and created a microsite that’s now leading to sales of Keds shoes.

Jaeger also highlighted another site, Polyvore, which is a collaging tool built around fashion. It helps a user put together outfits and explore what clothes go well together. The site also allows for links to product purchases. Nike used Polyvore successfully to create a rich, interactive experience for users. Polyvore is just one example of how these new digital options are dramatically different from a passive magazine experience; they provide real time interaction and add feedback from peers. They don’t need a physical space and they offer infinite possibilities.

Doug Jaeger underscored how linking relevant brands to a Chictopia or Polyvore goes beyond creating short-lived fashion ads, but establishes longer-lasting, authentic campaigns that can help advertisers also boost sales.