65th Anniversary: Agency Veterans' Views on Changing Technology
One of the ways we will be celebrating the 65th Anniversary of Howard, Merrell & Partners is to celebrate the people of the agency and share their thoughts. Let’s start by hearing from some of the current agency veterans on how technology has changed the advertising business during their agency tenure.
Eunice Maughan (23 years)
Internet access makes the job easier for research, finding and locating hard to find items, etc. So many things have changed in this era of technology. Thirty years ago I don’t think I would have known it was going to get here so quickly.
Laura Gross (14 years)
Drastically, more and more clients are turning to PR, Interactive, Social Media and Hispanic Marketing using the latest in technology.
Ellen Wayland (24 years)
When I first came to HM&P, there was actually a typewriter on my desk that I used on a daily basis! Media flowcharts were hand-typed. We used a lot of correction tape! Obviously, technology has greatly enhanced our capabilities in all areas of the agency, however, there are still times when technology can get in the way of sound thinking and creativity. We mustn’t become so reliant on the technology and processes that we don’t use our common sense. It’s people that make this industry great, not the technology.
Denise Lingenfelser (27 years)
The main difference I’ve seen is in the change it has wrought in client expectations. Before everyone became a desktop publisher – I think clients held more respect for the job we do. They allowed us to do our job and take chances on what we offered. I think the era of desktop publishing has given the client the sense that they can do what we do. Which opens that door for them to micromanage and question our work and not allow us to do the job they are paying us to do. I think technology has diminished the quality of work somewhat because now clients wants everything faster.
Mike Ganey (15 years)
The move from written to digital communications is the biggest change. Unfortunately, this change leaped right over face-to-face meetings and opportunities to really get to know the people responding to your emails. This remains a personal chemistry business, and I fear many agencies are losing sight of that.
John Moore (11 years)
Good and bad. As technology allows us to work faster (which is a good thing), the time needed to create original ideas can be lost (which is a bad thing). It’s difficult to put a time limit on creativity and craft. These days anyone can Photoshop an image and pick a theme from the gallery. And because that’s done with a simple click of the mouse, schedules are collapsed. But time to explore, and think, is required for originality. Sacrifice either at great risk.
Cindy Calhoun (21 years)
With email, it has made it easier to get in touch with client and vendors.
