Let’s Get to 2019, Shall We? Aloha from the rainy (yet beautiful) Oregon Coast,
As we nestle ourselves into the end of the year, this seems like as good a time as any to take a breath and soak in the rest of the year with family and friends. And, let’s face it, the agency world could use a little break after the dead sprint that was 2018. It’s a well-earned respite from the chaos before we jump right back in for 2019.
This is also an excellent time to look back at some of the things that we covered throughout the year. There was plenty to recap and the Adweek agencies team—with some input from great folk in the agency world—summarized the vibe.
First, the campaigns that made other agencies jealous. Yes, Wieden + Kennedy’s Nike work with Colin Kaepernick was on the list, but the runaway winner came from 360i with “The Maze” for HBO’s Westworld. This is likely one of the best use cases for Amazon’s voice technology, and Mary Callaghan, marketing manager of the Harvard Business Review, said that it’s the “first high-value execution I’ve seen on the platform.”
Next were the five most important ad industry stories, with ample input from some agency leaders. Time’s Up Advertising, #MeToo and Diet Madison Avenue played prominent roles along with Facebook as frenemies, WPPs interesting year, the rise of indies and the sunsetting of legacy agency brands. Oh, and there were some Papa John’s stories that made waves.
The biggest account shifts? There were plenty of ‘em, and holding companies did some big biz in 2018.
How about the 25 most popular agency stories in 2018? We got ‘em right here, and there was quite a range to read.
Agencies put their best feet forward once again during the holiday season with a nice collection of cards, gifts and videos. Best gift? Krampus Kibble from Planet Propaganda. It was delicious. Best diss? BarrettSF poking fun at a particular paywall. Best video? Santa playing Xmas Hold ‘Em from Passion Animation Studios. Weirdest? That would be Anomaly London. Again.
And, as one would expect, there are some predictions. Mark Duval, founder of The Duval Partnership, outlines six trends that agencies need to prepare for in 2019.
Worth a read: Erik Oster followed up on what the ad industry did to help advance Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School students’ plea earlier this year to accelerate their message of gun law reform. It is a telling look at what’s been done so far and what needs to be done moving forward.
Also worth a read: Rauxa takes mentorship very seriously. A great story of how the agency’s CEO, Gina Alshuler, was mentored by its founder, Jill Gwaltney.
Worth a watch: Apple gets the color going in its new ad.
On behalf of the entire Adweek agencies team, we wish all of you a happy and safe new year and the very best for a successful 2019.
Warm Regards,
Doug Zanger
Senior Editor, Creativity + Agencies |
