1) What industry trends or developments were most significant in 2019? 

2) How did your agency or department adjust/adapt to the marketplace in 2019? (diversification, new resources/talent/technology, new strategies, etc.) You are welcome to cite a specific piece of work which shows how lessons learned in 2019 were applied.

3) What work in 2019 are you most proud of? (Please cite any unique challenges encountered)

4) As the lines between advertising and entertainment continue to blur, are clients asking you to produce more “entertainment”? Please cite an example from this year and/or tell us about a project you’re working on for 2020. 

5) Gazing into your crystal ball, what do you envision for the industry--creatively speaking and/or from a business standpoint--in 2020? 

6) What’s your New Year’s resolution, creatively speaking and/or from a business standpoint, for your agency or department? Do you have a personal New Year’s resolution that you can share?

Steve Red
President, Chief Creative Officer
Red Tettemer O’Connell + Partners (RTO+P)

1) In 2019 advertising’s version of Where The Wild Things Are continued. Horrible teeth gnashed and horrible roars roared in the fight between what’s more important, Data or Storytelling. Also, advertising continued its transformation into something more like entertainment. Or profiling. Or hypnosis. Or a carnival ride.

3) Two of our proudest moments pushed into untracked territory for both our agency and one courageous client. We launched a new product born out of the pop lexicon. Dietz Nuts – the world’s first meat nuts – was written about as one of the best Super Bowl spots, despite the fact that we didn’t purchase a national spot in the game. Also, for Dietz & Watson we developed a fashion line of over 80 unique pieces of apparel and accessories and launched it in a 2400 sq. ft. eye-candy-filled retail experience. In the process we did what every agency has to do these days – learned new skills. Fashion trends. Flow rates. Merchandizing. Sourcing. Pay systems. Permitting. Etc., etc., etc.

5) For 2020, we’re predicting a slow pendulum swing back toward making hearts pound over testing and analyzing the soul out of ideas. To help that happen, good agencies will hone their ability to turn data into plotlines and character development that people care to invite into their lives. Bring on the new decade.

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