The rate at which new technology has been introduced to the masses has historically outpaced the rate at which companies can utilize it.

Here we are in 2016, standing at the precipice of another big shift in “tech-tonic” trends and this time, more businesses are preparing to go to war.  The weapon of choice will be the most advanced way to target the masses while still finding ways to target individuals across demographics: mobile advertising.

It’s forecasted that by 2020, mobile advertising will account for nearly 75% of all digital ad spends.  While desktop ads still get their share of the current digital spend, the rate at which companies have been shifting gears to focus more on mobile advertising has grown to the point where 2016 should be the year that mobile surpasses desktop, and once that happens, there will be no looking back.

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So, why would a company that took so much pride in the city of Detroit just abruptly move its headquarters?  In short, Detroit is struggling to keep its head above water, financially speaking.  New York is on the cutting edge of design and fashion, and boasts a very large cultural melting pot.  Celebrities, wealthy businessmen, and entrepreneurs abound in New York so it makes sense that America's most posh brand have its headquarters in The Big Apple.  In short, it's foolish to cling to tradition simply for tradition's sake.  You ultimately have to take the kind of actions that generate profit, placate investors, and satisfy shareholders.  This also puts Cadillac's leadership at the doorstep of design and innovation and may lead to spontaneous moments of inspiration.  

While I'm sad to see such an iconic brand leave The Motor City, I can easily reconcile why they did what they did.  This is a good move for Cadillac, who will attempt to expand their sales well beyond the markets of the United States, Canada, and China.  It's worth mentioning that Cadillac's headquarters is the only component of the company (which will regain a little more autonomy this year from GM), that will be leaving Detroit.  The remainder of the jobs will remain where they always have.  

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Typically, when this topic is discussed, proponents of net neutrality mention how consumers will not be given equal access to internet content such as streaming services unless the website or the consumer pays for it. They argue that smaller websites who cannot pay outrageous fees to keep their content accessible will fail. Freedom of internet speech will be given only to large corporations with enough money to pay for it. This is true, but not the only problem. All small businesses, not only those in entertainment, will be hurt if the internet is not kept open and accessible.

Smaller marketing firms, and by extension other small businesses, will be hurt tremendously if net neutrality ceases to exist. Small businesses often rely on the internet as a cost-effective form of advertising. The internet allows small businesses to reach people around the world at a much cheaper rate than traditional media. If net neutrality is abolished, small businesses will no longer be able to compete against large corporations for cheap ad-space on the internet. Large corporations will have the money to advertise on sites that are more accessible to consumers. 

In short, this is a very big deal.  Just ask Netflix…who had a brief fallout with Comcast…their streaming content was streaming noticeably slower until they reached a compromise with the internet service provider.  Lo and behold, in February, they began to see an immediate improvement (or perhaps just restoration of where it once was) in streaming speed.  Netflix was literally held hostage by Comcast until its demands were met.  It's naive to think they playing field will ever be completely level, but steps should definitely be taken to ensure that we're doing all we can.

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At the end of the day, the name of the game is value, and what you can bring to the table will ultimately determine your level of success.  Offering a superior value guarantees satisfaction which earns loyalty (Day, 1994).  Marketing in contemporary America now favors the cultivation of relationships, proving once and for all that it is, and always has been, all about the people.

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You could be strolling down the beach, basking in sunshine while ordering a new grill for Labor Day.  Even GM is rolling out a new application that would allow savvy consumers to trade-in their car, and take delivery or test drive a new car, all without bothering to get dressed in the morning.

 I already order all of my take-out online when I used to phone it in.  Further innovation will herald the dawning of a new Kondratiev Cycle that could yield innovations in every single industry on a global scale, and this would represent a huge boom for the logistics industry, with higher levels of import/export and international shipping business.  It would also mean smaller businesses could level the playing field a bit.  For instance, I love the asadero cheese from the Licon Dairy in San Elizario, Texas.  I encourage everyone to find a niche product that you absolutely love, and see if it's available for international shipping.  What an industrious age in which we live!!!

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Fortunately, Mad Men Marketing is ahead of the curve.  Not only did we become the first in our market to begin using Rentrak, (a wonderful little tool that lets us target the appropriate media buy to your target audience) but we also offer customizable research delivery and custom-tailored case studies.

Why case studies, you may ask?  They explore CAUSATION to underlying principles which allows us to tweek our approach.  It is empirical research that investigates real-life phenomena.  So while every other agency is out there telling you to “trust them”, we do not remain static in our approach like so many others.  We are not so overzealous to think we get it right all the time.  NO!  We are dynamic.  We will get you results, quantify them, and show them to you.  We will constantly refine and improve our approach, guaranteeing the highest level of efficiency possible.  

In 1985 Michael Porter attempted to improve upon Ricardo's comparative advantage and suggested his own theory of competitive advantage.  This emphasizes production, efficiencies, and the acquisition of attributes that can be utilized to outpace the competition.  Think of Mad Men Marketing as your Swiss Army Knife or the ace up your sleeve because we are delivering our clients comparables, measurables, and demonstrating causative reasons for market change utilizing a number of inputs.  

In short, when you perform research, and you can deliver the goods to your client, you're allowing them to track progress….no matter how small it may be.  This keeps clients abreast of changing market conditions and keeps them competitive in their industry.  

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The Compendium gave a number of cosmetic items, as well as a way to interact in the tournament with a betting system, information on the teams and players, and up to date statistics. In addition to the Compendium, Valve put rewards for the number of money raised with different prizes once money goals were achieved. The total money raised by players was over 2.9 million dollars by 290 thousand people purchasing the 10 dollar Compendium, all of which was given to the top 8 teams.  This made for the greatest payout ever in a single eSports event. The gamble has paid off for Valve. With the prize money raised, Valve could focus its money on the event which raised production values to new heights. The International 3 is proof positive that eSports are viable sports, and evidence of how effective crowd sourcing can be.

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Office Culture
Always watching their back from their coworkers, the cast of Mad Men are consistently out for themselves. Everyone is trying to get ahead, and willing to go to extreme lengths to be at the top. Today, this would be the perfect set up for a failing business. Burning bridges won’t get you far as an agency, as well as taking the time to lend a hand. A successful agency is sustained by good relationships, not only with clients but also with the entire team. Going the extra mile rather than cutting corners is what makes a great agency stand out from a good agency.

The Power of Advertising
In my opinion, this is the biggest change to advertising due to technology. In the 50s and 60s, the media had a certain control that it no longer has. With so many product options, advertising clutter and noise, ways to order, and convenience of the internet consumers’ brand loyalty is nowhere near where it was in the past. Being able to search for the best prices around allows consumers to be fickle with their purchasing decisions.
The power today is in the hands of the consumer. Rather than creating a marketing plan that you think is effective, it is important to put yourself in the shoes of the consumer. Would I benefit from paying attention from this ad, or is it just feature dumping like the other 3,000 advertisements that I see on a daily basis?

Conclusion
So, would an agency like Sterling Cooper be a top agency on Madison Ave. in 2013? No, just as the world evolves over time, so must agencies. Technology has pushed agencies to become more consumer-driven in their strategies. While Sterling Cooper would wine-and-dine their clients into their ideas, it was mainly their way or the highway. Today a lot more listening needs to be done rather than talking.

As Don would say “If you don’t like what people are saying, change the conversation.” However Don never had to deal with Yelp reviews. Sorry Don, your persuasive words might not make the cut in modern advertising. Time to work on your people skills!

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