TRENDSETTER: Group M's Andrew McLean Sees the Future in Ad-Funded Creative Content
Andrew McLean, Group M’s Global Chief Development Officer, admits that he’s a “life-long media man,” but recently wrote in The Internationalist that “media fragmentation may have driven us to a ‘quantity versus quality’ creative brief.” He believes that “only through more thoughtful integration of advertisers and content will our industry see the kind of messaging that creates strong emotional connections between brands and consumers.”
“Content that makes people feel something — in any media — stands out. And it drives behavioral change.”
Andrew McLean also agrees with News Corp President Chase Carey that the model of 100% ad-funded networks does not work any more. As a result, he says, “Advertisers know they need to form a deeper connection with content, and yet we have not progressed further than product placement. The question is why are we not getting better advertiser-supported content?”
“Truly great advertising is based on story telling that touches people. This was once the USP for television, but now video games and online programming are laying a greater claim to this. So what should advertisers and their agencies be doing differently?”
McLean suggests that marketers need to experiment and look for content partners with whom they have empathy. “Remember,” he says, “content has to be entertaining and engaging. It requires an authentic meeting of minds, a partnership that hinges on mutual appreciation of each others’ businesses, as well as of creative objectives and ideals. Great content and advertising has one thing at its core – originality.
With so many companies talking about producing online video and other forms of ‘branded entertainment,’ I'm amazed by how people often talk about these trends as if they are new. The earliest forms of audio and visual media were advertiser-produced from the radio shows of the 50’s to the soaps of the 60’s. We had these skills, but stopped nurturing them and left the process to others.”
Maybe a trip back to the future is in order….
