There has been so much change in the marketing/agency world since I entered almost 20 years ago. I can recall getting escorted to my first desk (which I shared with another person). My desk essentials: a few pencils, a stapler, and two phones. The owner said that was all I really needed. He explained that if I was truly effective I’d be out of the office more than in the office.
Well, as we all know computers came along and now we sit behind our desks a lot more. I often wonder if this is a good thing. Sometimes I think computers have made things so efficient and mainstream that we forget it still takes a talented person behind each terminal.
For example, in our agency we have people with honed skills in these areas: design, illustration, copywriting, market research, computer programming, strategic planning, production, media buying, public relations, and social marketing. And just because I know how to open InDesign doesn’t mean I’m a designer. Or likewise, the fact that my daughter understands how to send an email doesn’t make her an email marketing expert. I’m sure you get the idea. I often cringe when someone hands me a résumé for a potential new hire that encompasses all of the skills at our agency. It is a clear sign they don’t understand the true value of these talents and how they’re needed to effectively brand and market a product or service.
Computers are amazing tools that have changed the way we do business. But let’s remember – as we all continue to become more tech-savvy, there will always be a need for a creative mind to challenge ideas, write persuasive headlines, and design an advertising campaign that influences behavior. Something you can’t install on your computer.
