Coding vs Copywriting

A recent post in Fast Company addresses the terror traditional ad agencies are feeling right now. They on the verge of extinction. One line really caught my attention "coding is now prized over copywriting".

That's completely true, just look at what coders get paid versus copywriters. But I would argue that there is a coming sea change already underway and the tables could turn again.

Coding is all about creating reusable solutions. Build it once and use it again and again. It's why companies like Google, Groupon and Exact Target are growing like weeds. Their product is almost infinitely scalable. But consider the destination.

Eventually the code will get so good it may put many coders out of work. It may get so good that anyone can build a website or app without any programming knowledge. We are already seeing this happen on a small scale with free to cheap Web solutions like Wordpress. When it happens, and I believe it will, then advertising agencies can stop worrying about the platform and technology challenges and do what they do best- communicate.

Right now many traditional ad agencies are paralyzed, afraid to enter the Social Media waters or even log into a Content Management System to update site content. But that is changing as well. They are going through a rude awakening and learning to survive- the fastest way to learn.

When code is no longer the obstacle then communication is king. Brand experience and messaging return to the top of the value pile. This is where traditional ad agencies excel. They just need to hang on long enough, while getting up to speed, and they may find themselves surprisingly relevant in the years to come.

Passion, Talent and Experience

I think this is the order in terms of desirability:

Passion- it can fill almost any void, even weak ability and lack of experience. It is mountain moving stuff and should be noted and rewarded.

Talent- leverages passion and experience. This is mostly genetic but requires developing.

Experience- belief driven knowledge. Seeing (experiencing) is believing.

The Problem(s) with Groupon

Daily deals are the current darlings of the Web. Groupon, the leading daily dealer, is looking at a valuation of $3-4 Billion in a possible acquisition by Yahoo. I think that would be a bad investment. Groupon is certainly doing well now but I see some problems on the horizon, or already here, that could make the company vulnerable.

1. It's too easy to do. The software isn't hard to do and there are already many competitors popping up locally and nationally. Remember MySpace? All a competitor needs to do is be Facebook to Groupon's MySpace. Also remember that TiVo saw its market share destroyed by DVRs provided by cable/satellite companies. There is no reason Facebook, Foursquare and many others can't play in this space.

2. It's a bad deal for businesses. Although I expect Groupon to start bowing to competitive pressure in this area, they usually take a 50% share of the Groupon offering. So if I'm offering you a $100 gift certificate for $50 and the Groupon takes half I'm left with $25. Is a $75 loss worth acquiring a new customer?

3. Cannibalism. Once Groupon does the rounds on all the local businesses what happens then? Well they start back around. So now companies have an increased risk of cannibalizing their own customers. Essentially giving their existing buyers a huge discount on services or goods they would have paid for anyway.

4. User Fatigue. I'm not saying people are going to get tired of saving money but they will get tired of receiving emails they don't want. Why won't they want the emails? Since Groupon will be forced by businesses to be more competitive with other daily dealers that will mean the coupons will not be as good (smaller discounts) which will lead to users tuning out. I realize that as their list grows they only need a small percentage opting in for each Groupon but I would argue that they will see declining returns as their lists top out (there are only so many people in each city).

5. Customer Service. This is perhaps the biggest complaint with Groupon. Since there are often hundred to thousands of people getting a Groupon it creates a real customer service issue. What's a business to do? Staff up for the tsunami and then have an HR problem downsizing when it passes? Not staff up and then have disgruntled customers who have a bad experience, tell everyone about it and never come back?

In Groupon's defense they have the opportunity to head off many of these current and potential problems. They also have the cash to do it. It will be interesting to see if they can turn into a sustainable, real company or be remembered as an interesting Web trend that couldn't make the turn.

Change Surfing- Technology and Politics

It would be easy to see the recent election as a rebuke of Obama, Democrats, Health Care, Big Government, etc. There is no doubt a good argument to be made for all of those points. But I see it differently. I see a trend that has less to do with policy and more to do with our use of technology.

During the last 15 years we have seen a stunning advance in technology. But our bodies are not as easily upgradable as software or hardware. Moore's Law doesn't apply to human beings.

We now have an impatient, ADD electorate. A nation needing Ritalin in its water.

I believe what happened in 2006, 2008 and now in 2010 has more to do with our need to change the channel than to change the country. We get bored. We want a new shiny object. Right now that shiny object is the Tea Party. In 2008 it was Obama. In 2006 it was Anyone But Bush. But our collective need for political change surfing undermines any real change.

Some would argue that gridlock is a good thing. I believe gridlock will create a second rate country unable to compete with the agile one party governments we see in China and Russia.

America is no longer willing to have hard, meaningful conversations. We don't have the attention span. Our use of technology has ruined our ability to focus. That concerns me more than wars, deficits or any hot topic of the day.

We are losing the ability to think clearly and objectively. We no longer have those quiet spaces in our lives to think.

What's the solution? I don't know. There probably isn't one since we lack the discipline to impose any real change on our behavior. "I've seen the enemy and it's us."

Most likely our ADD fueled by the mis-use of technology will only result in more change surfing in 2012 and beyond. In the end we will surf our way into the history books. Another great empire that couldn't handle its own success.

Resisting Jargon

Jargon: the language, esp. the vocabulary, peculiar to a particular trade, profession, or group.
source: dictionary.com

When used with a client jargon often creates walls and confusion. I think many in my industry use it to create a sense of value- if you understood what all these words meant then you wouldn't need me.

There is a place for it to be sure. It exists to be used as short hard for larger concepts or systems by a specific profession. But it has almost no place with clients.

We need to strip our client communications down to real language as much as possible. When we do use it we should always stop and make sure the client is following. Many times it's difficult to tell since they, understandably, don't want to look stupid.

Maybe the best way to bridge this gap is to give our clients a Jargon Primer. A glossary of terms that they can reference in case we get sloppy.

I think we can only blame ourselves when clients are confused about a process or solution. We probably speaking in a foreign language.