In the intricate landscape of marketing, the concept of human-centricity has often been overshadowed by the traditional B2B-B2C tactics, failing to recognize the fundamental truth that all interactions, at their core, are inherently human. Although the conversation revolving around putting the human touch back into an AI-driven, ROI-driven world is hardly new, it’s more relevant than ever.  Sadie Thoma, the Director of Americas Ads Marketing at Google was quite clear at the ANA/AEF Future of Marketing Leaders Conference this past February, “You’re the marketer and AI is just the enabler.  We need humans to build deep customer relationships and trust is the new currency.”

It’s been eight months but who’s counting? It was only yesterday that the industry was jumping on planes, trains, and into automobiles for all sorts of prospect, pitch and client meetings. Overnight, it was over.

The US Open is one of the top NYC events each year bringing revenue in excess of $350,000,000! Although the pandemic has put a damper on the 2020 tournament (and its revenue), fans are still soaking in some exciting moments unfold while being broadcast in living rooms around the world.

Advertising, we have a problem.

The agency industry is unlike any other. People in other industries don’t provide their would-be clients with “spec work” for free. So why are agencies expected to think for free when pitching for a new account? It’s a topic that strikes a chord throughout the industry with an ongoing debate over the question of should agencies be paid to pitch? 

Although memory lane isn’t a physical street, it’s a place in everyone’s hearts once you reach a certain age.  But for some, memory lane includes reminiscing about a simpler time in history. Before the days of instantaneous uploading, 24/7 access, dings from texts, beeps from Facebook messages, endless emails and a barrage of unsolicited ones too.