Now accepting nominations for the Future of Advertising Award
Don Draper, Bill Bernbach, Cliff Freeman, Bob Greenberg. Who's next?
I know, the last thing advertising needs is another award. And yes, it’s a little pompous to think this blog is entitled to award one. But the above visual seems like too much fun to waste. So on the eve of SXSW, Creativity_Unbound announces its call for entries for the first quarterly “Future of Advertising Award.” The idea is that every three months (advertising changes way too fast to wait for an entire year to pass) this blog and its readers (that’s you) will bestow the honor (?) on someone whose efforts epitomize positive change, innovation, new ideas that inspire us, or even miserable failures that teach us valuable lessons about how to move forward in the digitally-driven, consumer-controlled, social media world.
Winners could come from the ranks of doers, thinkers, creators, technologists or teachers. The one thing they’ll have in common – the picture offers a hint – is that they are leading us forward or inspiring us to lead ourselves forward. People who represent what comes next in the evolution of an industry that goes all the way back to J. W. Thompson in the 1800s.
The modern ad person probably begins with Don Draper, or Darren Stevens, take your pick. The species continues with Bill Bernbach,who gave us the creative team; Cliff Freeman, representing the height of TV commercials; and currently Bob Greenberg, among those who’ve led the industry’s transformation from analog to digital. But who comes next? That’s what we want to identify, encourage and celebrate. Emphasis on we.
So please leave your recommendations in the comment section below. The panel of judges (to be named soon) will consider them all and float some out ourselves, then let you know who prevails. At which time you can agree, debate or call us clueless.
The winner, of course, will receive a beautiful print with their face on the body standing tall at the front of the line. Suitable for framing, of course.
Who do you think should win? Someone already famous: Ben Malbon, Faris Yakob, Mike Lebowitz, Ross Kimbarovsky? Someone almost famous: Adrian Ho, Jordan Kretchmer? Or better yet, someone we’ve never heard from, but will?
Comments
I nominate the Malbon Brothers. They both seem to be so ahead of the curve in so many ways. Must be the water or something in the UK.
Agree, good thing they're on opposite ends of the pond or we wouldn't have a chance.
I nominate Matt Schmitt, CEO of Reflect Systems-digital signage software provider (Clients include GameStop, Target, Verizon). Matt and his company are usheering in the next phase of consumer interaction by creating interactive digital experiences with consumers wherever they are--in-store, online, out-of-home to create relationships and that's what the next phase of advertising is all about--meeting and interacting with consumers where they are to build strong relationships.
Rosilyn:
We will check Matt out. Thanks so much.
I nominate Mary Dean, creative director at Austin's KickSkirt. She has single-handedly set out to right one of advertising's longest-lived wrongs: gender-inequity in creative departments. She speaks, consults, writes and leads all with the mission of improving the way brands connect with women, starting with raising awareness of the fact that 90% of women feel advertisers don't understand them, yet only 3% of creative directors are female.
Kat
I love that. And as you can see waaay too many white men in the line. I will connect with her. If you can send me any contact info: twitter, email, etc. Would love to share thoughts and ideas and consider her for this. Awesome suggestion.
You can reach Mary Dean on Twitter at @kickskirt. I don't have her direct email but the agency email is: insights@kickskirt.com. Thanks for considering her.
Ben Malbon should absolutely be a nominee.
I'd like to throw in the following other nominations in no particular order:
John Winsor
Tac Anderson
Ian Schafer
Ian Sohn
Vinny Warren
Great suggestions. Appreciate.
Humble man.
Len Kendall should be included in this list.
.-= Bob Knorppu00c2u00b4s last blog ..042-Fast Takes: The Best of The BeanCast =-.
Did you mean "Darren" Stevens? :P
(Sorry, couldn't resist.)
Bob Knorpp
Host of The BeanCast
(And the epitome of the future of advertising)
Posts every Monday at http://beancast.us
.-= Bob Knorppu00c2u00b4s last blog ..042-Fast Takes: The Best of The BeanCast =-.
What are you talking about? :-) Thanks. At least I know you read carefully.
Jeff Arnold. I met this guy the week before last and my head is still spinning.
His ShareCare-powered expert-generated content platform is revving up to blow the doors off of how brands represent themselves online.
.-= Max Pfennighausu00c2u00b4s last blog ..Itu00e2u0080u0099s a Dialog, Not a Lecture =-.
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