As a product guy every now and then I come up with an idea for a new cool product or service that is bound to change the industry forever. Over the years I learned (the hard way) that before I ask anyone to invest millions of dollars in my ideas I better run them by a few clients – give them an opportunity to put me back in touch with reality before I embarrass myself.

The other day I had one of these ideas – a service that would provide a new layer of information on how campaigns are performing against expectations. I was all excited about it; certain it would grant me the recognition and gratitude so long overdue… Alas, instead of fireworks my idea was received with a cold shower. It’s not that agency planners, traffickers and designers don’t appreciate advanced analytical tools; it’s not that they don’t want to optimize their spending across channels or tailor their message to individual users – it’s just that in today’s reality they consider themselves lucky to be able to get a basic campaign live on time. It turned out that after going all the way to hell and back trying to manage their campaigns, my clients had little time and energy left for anything else. Sadly, those other things they never get around to are actually the ones they would really like to be spending their time on…

I couldn’t help but wonder, why is it that so much attention is being directed in industry publications and events to the newest, cutting edge marketing developments that very few of us will get a chance to try out anytime soon while the core of our business is suffering from inadequate tools, antiquated processes and dysfunctional communications? True, some of the operational challenges I’m talking about are the subject of IAB or AAAA initiatives, but shouldn’t we be doing more to address these key challenges? 

One of the roots of the problem, if I may be presumptuous, is that technology tools have been allowed to plateau when it comes to innovation to solve operational challenges.  It is common in young industries that clients are forced to accept suboptimal tools due to the limited availability of relevant solutions. This industry, however, is no longer so young and agencies should not have to compromise anymore.

It is our duty to reject the existing status quo and innovate to introduce new tools and solutions that would take away some of the pain inflicting our clients. Only then will our clients be free to direct their efforts towards the more strategic, advanced objectives, leveraging our cool new products and services. Maybe then I will finally be able to find my industry changing idea (hmm… actually maybe I’m on to something here…)

Eldad Persky, Director of Product Planning