Recently I have seen Jared Spool and Jeffrey Zeldman start to be more public about supporting content strategy as a practice — works for me. Simultaneously, I have also started to hear backlash from web all-stars wondering aloud (see Twittering) if content strategy isn’t just rehashed “web-strategy”— I see both sides of that coin.
Then there are the noted “web/content strategy folk” saying we shouldn’t be spending time arguing about the hierarchy of practices—to that, I disagree.
Here’s why:
1. A little disagreement never hurt anyone. Perspectives are gained, knowledge is transferred and opinions are challenged/strengthened. We don’t argue enough or correctly if you ask me.
2. Budgets are being slashed and agencies are specializing: we just do strategy, we just code, we just do PSD’s, we just do CMS, just IA here, etc. This does not bode well for these people called “clients” who are increasingly unclear what they need, who they need and how they are going to manage the project/vendors.
3. The practices, do not have clear working boundaries, systems or languages and arguing/defining and redefining hierarchies starts this conversation.
I have found the practice of collaborating with other practices, or intra-practice, a crap-shoot—some great experiences and some nightmares. But I believe the goal of agency symmetry is incredibly important and something I am committed to spending more time, money and energy pursuing. This Ad-age article from a few weeks ago really hit it home for me. I hope it inspires you.
“As agency specialization continues, the holding companies have not worked to force and enable coordination, de-duplication and value creation. Instead they have allowed creative agencies to be marginalized. In my view they have enabled massive inefficiency driven by duplication and, sadly, have enabled open strife and conflict in full view of marketers, which only serves to diminish the value of all agency parties in the eye of marketers. The holding companies need to confront this issue fast or they risk being marginalized. Agencies need to collaborate amongst themselves to create client-focused value vs. playing out strife in public view of their clients. This, in my view, is killing agency credibility and value among marketers.”
Kimberly-Clark CMO Tony Palmer
June 2nd, 2010 at 3:22 am
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