Relevance
We all know the publishing industry is sucking wind right now. It has a wet, wheezing cough, one foot in the grave, whatever you want to call it. It’s sad, really.
I actually love reading ad industry pubs. I must admit though, that many of them are the cause of their own demise. There are those whose model includes the “buy an ad, and we’ll feature you on the cover.” Hard to stay truly relevant that way, wouldn’t you say? Then there are those who write about the same agency, the same ad campaign, the same “thought leaders” over and over again. I could go for months without picking the magazine up, and feel like I’ve just gone to the bathroom during a commercial, not missing a beat.
On a recent holiday trip to Denver, I chose to bring the “Looking Back” issue of Boards magazine with me. I read it cover to cover and learned a few things I didn’t know. I especially enjoyed reading about the new “Crowd Sourcing Agency” located in Boulder, called Victors and Spoils. Curious name – bold business model. It made me think about Boulder BCPB (before Crispin Porter Bogusky) and what it is like now. A mini “thought leader” mecca, no doubt. And, now that Colorado is a medical marijuana state, the head shops have likely been replaced by new “dispensaries” on every corner, like the Starbucks invasion of the 90s.
My point here is that whether you’re in the publishing industry – or any industry – you’ve got to be committed to being, and staying, on the cutting edge. Continually learning, adapting, growing and changing as the community around you changes. That’s called staying relevant – and in order to be successful, we all need to be relevant.
But, I digress…back to Boards Magazine. I’ve always liked their voice. Their writers make advertising fun and exciting, and video production and post production described like we’re saving lives or something. Which, of course, we are (please note: dripping sarcasm). Editor Rae Ann Fera sets the bar on writing pretty high and she always gets a smile out of me. She’s edgy, irreverent and funny and, even more impressive, wrote her column for this year-end issue sitting on the South Bank in London, eating a bowl of mussels, and typing on her iPhone. Brilliant! But, most importantly, she’s relevant. And under her leadership, Boards stays relevant, and totally dialed into the continually changing culture of the ad industry.
I guess the thing I like the most about Boards, other than its relevancy, is that reading it always provides an affirmation that our team of talented and innovative folks at T2 and Back Alley Films are doing work that is right there, on the cutting edge, right along with other major players who are regularly featured in their pages. Whether it’s motion graphics, augmented reality, crowdsourcing or anything else that we experiment with on a regular basis, those are the kinds of things that are producing results for clients and making us proud to be doing what we do on a daily basis. Ergo, we are relevant. And always striving to remain so. And when I feel that way, I know all is right with the world.
