Karen Recaps Advertising in 2017

SHOOT's 2017 Year End Survey: Positive & Proactive

A look back at 2017, brands pushing back against negativity, and the promise of AI, AR

By SHOOT Staff Reporter

2017 has been a trying year. Political divisiveness on the rise, civility seemingly in decline. Sexual harassment coming to the fore in entertainment, media and the body politic. Those narrow of mind and short on tolerance emboldened to spew forth hate speech and scapegoating, coming to a tragic escalation one weekend in Charlottesville.

Yet out of the negativity, brands are among those finding their voice and pushing back, espousing positive values and addressing issues—as reflected in SHOOT’s Year-End Survey of ad agency creatives and professionals. For example, Karen Costello, executive creative director of The Martin Agency, said she and her colleagues at the shop are committed “to do more work that creates positive change and social impact. Just recently, after the tragedy in Charlottesville here in Virginia, we created a simple but powerful message of inclusion based on the ‘Virginia is for Lovers’ tagline created by the agency years ago.

The Martin Agency built upon that nearly 50-year-old tourism slogan with the added line “Virginia is for everyone” along with the hashtag #standforlove.

“It immediately resonated with people and took on a life of its own,” continued Costello. “As agencies and brands, we have incredible opportunities to affect change, and that inspires and energizes me greatly.”

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What industry trends or developments were most significant in 2017?

One big trend is not necessarily a new one, but its massive importance and scale in the last year is unignorable—and that’s the voracious appetite for video content. This has led to some really great content and some not so great content. It’s led to compelling brand messages and fractured ones. With smaller agencies and content creators popping up almost every day, it’s a wild world out there with no end in sight.

Gazing into your crystal ball, what do you envision for the industry—creatively speaking and/or from a business standpoint—in 2018? (can focus on advertising, entertainment, production or post)

I envision more brands working to find their true north – their purpose or their “why” as they endeavor to rise to the shared values expectations of consumers.

I envision a lot more video content creation coming from all over the map and the continued land grab this creates across the industry.

What’s your New Year’s resolution, creatively speaking and/or from a business standpoint, for your company, agency or division? Do you have a personal New Year’s resolution that you can you share? And if you like, tell us briefly about a project you’ll be working on in early 2018?

My personal new year’s resolution is not dissimilar from the resolutions of many at The Martin Agency and that is to do more work that creates positive change and social impact. Just recently, after the tragedy in Charlottesville here in Virginia, we created a simple but powerful message of inclusion based on the Virginia is for Lovers tagline created by the agency years ago. It immediately resonated with people and took on a life of its own. As agencies and brands, we have incredible opportunities to affect change and that inspires and energizes me greatly.

Link to full article here.