Where have Adland's mavericks gone?

Author: Shaune Jordaan, CEO and founder at Hoorah Group

I was fortunate to be part of this renaissance, founding Synergize with Chris Corbert in 2009, which later became Saatchi & Saatchi Synergize in 2013.

During those years, industry-defining awards such as The Bookmarks emerged, followed by The New Generation Social & Digital Media Awards (New Gen Awards), and training institutions such as Red & Yellow, Vega, and Get Smarter nurtured the next generation of digital creative and media professionals. Entrepreneurial maverick agencies such as Stonewall, Hellocomputer, Liquorice, Urbian, Aqua, Cerebra, Wicked Pixel, King James, Quirk, and Gloo flourished. Performance agencies such as Click2Customers, Synergize, Click Thinking (which became iProspect) and ROI Media led the charge in digital performance, revolutionising the media sector. (In Europe, specialised performance agencies continue to thrive without offering traditional media. Locally, we see traditional media agencies simply checking the digital box without genuine integration.)

Figures such as Brent Shahim, Rob Stokes, Jay Thompson, Miles Murphy, Paula Hulley, Pete Case, Nicky Cockcroft, Vinny Lingham, Adrian Hewlett, and others played pivotal roles – there are so many to mention that it would fill an entire edition of MarkLives. These individuals inspired us and were at the forefront of the digital revolution, operating as mavericks, free from agency network dictates.

That said, I do need to acknowledge Ogilvy in the 2000s, a network that excelled in digital and helped set a true benchmark against which entrepreneurial mavericks strove to compete.

Back then, creativity was a form of experimentation: we took risks, learned from our failures, and built development and platform departments by innovating solutions for our clients. It was a time of innovation and growth for both clients and agencies. Our industry was vibrant with founders who built from the ground up, unafraid to challenge traditional advertising models. It was exhilarating. The atmosphere was collaborative, despite the competition. We gathered to share ideas, learn from one another, and demonstrate to the industry that the old way was no longer the only way.

While I may sound like an old-timer reminiscing, at only 43, I notice the scarcity of entrepreneurial mavericks around me (hat tip to those entrepreneurs who’ve waded in, regardless, but we can agree there are far fewer agency startups than there’s been in a long time).

Now, I wonder, have we lost that entrepreneurial spark as professionals? Are we content to simply sit in comfortable positions under network banners, forgetting what it feels like to challenge the prevailing norms?

Between 2004 and 2015, many entrepreneurial maverick agencies that once drove innovation were acquired by large networks. While these acquisitions were inevitable, it feels as if the creative power that once defined us has diminished. We’ve seen a decline in our performance on global stages like Cannes Lions, and local awards like The Loeries seem to have shifted their focus away from digital creativity to more traditional advertising forms such as radio and film. Many may disagree but the introduction of Effies to South Africa has been a positive development; it brings balance and rewards effective marketing, which often includes digital creativity and media.

The Creative Circle appears preoccupied with self-congratulation, offering little room for digital creativity and innovation. Has the industry retreated to its comfort zone, led by executives who lack the entrepreneurial spirit that once characterised agency leadership?

Have we lost our radical innovative edge or have our clients become accustomed to the norms of traditional agencies? When will we see the next generation of trailblazing mavericks emerge? During the resurgence of the early 2000s, when you spoke to someone from a leading agency, often it was someone who’d built the business from the ground up. Have you ever built a business, or do you merely walk the corridors of one?

There’s a uniquely different perspective from those who’ve built from scratch. Clients then craved the mavericks – the innovators who said Let’s figure it out. It takes immense courage to start anew and build a vision for what the industry should be but it’s also overdue.

Without reinvention, there’s only stagnation and commodification.

About Hoorah

Hoorah is a full-service creative digital marketing agency specializing in creating impactful campaigns that connect brands with their audiences. With a strong focus on innovation, data-driven strategy, and creativity, Hoorah delivers results across social media, app development, CRM, and content marketing.

If you want more information, visit www.hoorahgroup.com or contact moc.puorgharooh@selas.