Advertising Agencies
| 
Advertising Agencies
Advertising has been around as long as luxury goods. Several of the world's top advertising agencies have been functioning for well over a hundred years. Most of these started in America, in the latter part of the 19th century, where mass-production and mass markets were more of a reality than in Europe, which was perhaps still a little hidebound by its feudal past.
These websites are worth a browse, just to see what they actually say about the company they represent. These are the worldwide or Asia-Pacific sites - there may well be a different site for the branch of the agency near you.
Be warned: most of them make excessive use of Flash and take an annoyingly long time to load. And they use crap music. Self-aggrandization in the 21st century. Consider the purpose of these sites - to impress prospective clients.
- Bates Asia - includes useful case studes (Nokia)
- BBDO - Their Mission Statement plus some good case studies (FedEx & Pepsi)
- DDB - "bringing Humanity to the Digital Age"
- M&C Saatchi - this is the mac link
- Ogilvy - plus links to their different incarnations
- TBWA - the UK site, flash-tastic (not), but again some good examples of campaigns
Industry News
As with any other industry, advertising is fast moving, with constant changes in regulations, new media, agency takeovers, innovations etc etc. Get a sense of the main issues occupying the industry by referring to these news sites:
- Ad Age - trade paper rounds up all major stories
- Ad Week - ditto
- AdLand Ad Rag - Lots of stories, ads, inside gossip
- Adrants - interpretation of the stories in the above
- ibiz Newswire - roundup of global advertising news
- Media Guardian - the specialist advertising section
Other Useful Links
- Advertising Terminology - a comprehensive glossary from the University of Texas
- PopCultures.com - links to many useful articles, particularly ones about gender in advertising
- AdCritics.com - discussion and downloads of the latest campaigns. You have to register but it's well worth it.
- Transparency.Com - lots of interesting and useful analysis of the mental manipulation perpetrated by the mass media
Some Advertising
I have recently been sent details of a book which looks interesting and relevant - "The Big Lie, by Chuck Anderson: The Truth About Advertising". Find out more about it here - reviews, pics and some tantalising chapter beginnings.
