Working in a digital role, particularly a senior one, in adland has it’s ups and downs. And in the integrated world, it’s can present distinctly different challenges to that of the pure-play shop.
These can, and do, come in all shapes and sizes, with common ones being a lack of faith that digital will make an impact, territory defense from the rampant digital hordes here to steal your land, and plain old "not getting it".
It’s this last one which i’ve been noticing more and more recently, but it’s always been around in every agency I’ve ever worked in.
And it boils down to one key phrase which will never fail to make my blood boil…
"I’m not technical"
three simple words which can be used to such amazing effect as to instantly put a digital person on a defensive back footing in any meeting.
Here’s an example. You’re in an integrated campaign kick-off meeting. All the usual parties are represented - creative, account management, planning and, of course, digital (if i’ve missed anyone out who thinks they should be here don’t get offended :P). The meeting is going as well as can be expected and you, as the digital type, are chipping in as and when appropriate, when all of a sudden, someone, usually an account manager I have to say, but not always, pipes up with…
"I’m not technical"
this could be in relation to almost anything and often is about the really basic stuff we’ve all been doing for ten years or more.
"I’m not technical" is used by those who fear the digital environment. It’s employed as the catch all to make them look good in a mixed room. It’s a way for them to instantly let it be known they potentially have no idea about digital marketing, even the easy stuff, but that actually it’s not their fault! they’re not out of touch with the modern marketing environment. no, no, no. Actually, it’s your fault, as digital expert, because quite simply (ready? one, two three..!)
They aren’t technical!
See how it works?
This phrase, to the unaware, doesn’t make them look non-technical. It makes you look too technical - simply because you understand what a web browser does or how flash needs a plug-in to play or why YouTube is a great way to get videos out into the world.
"I’m not technical" is the joker card they can play to get them out of an potentially awkward "I really don’t get any of this digital stuff" situation - whilst still, however, making them look perfectly capable in terms of marketing and communications - which in this day and age of near ubiquitous digital communications globally, with only more on the horizon - isn’t true.
And that’s the whole point of the phrase. it’s used to maintain an air of marketing and comms superiority, whilst downgrading the work of the digital specialist to that of a nerdy techy geek.
we need, as digital experts (whether you are pure play or integrated), to help people get rid of this ingrained sense that because something is displayed on a computer, or on a mobile phone, or even in a window via projection, that it’s technical in nature.
because - and here’s the big surprise for all who have used this phrase - it isn’t!
it’s all marketing, advertising, communications.
that’s all you need to worry about.
don’t worry about delivery - which can be technical in the fine details - because we’ll cope with that.
don’t worry about building or putting something together - we’ll do that too.
all you, they, them - the "i’m not technical" bunch - need to remember is that, as marketers, you need to understand how to communicate and talk to people about products and services - and how those facts are changing in the new landscape (dialogue, honesty, transparency).
most people don’t know how a television camera, edit suite, or even the broadcast network work from a technical level - but it doesn’t stop them from putting together a media plan and storyboarding/producing a TV commercial.
hardly anyone, apart from print traffic experts, understand the intricacies of a four colour spot process (or what ever you print people do all day!) and yet they can put together a paper based DM campaign till the cows come home.
But, for some reason, as soon as you introduce the concept of digital communications, all hell breaks loose and the phrase comes out again and again and again.
it’s 2007 people in agency land! not 1997 (when I could just about forgive this attitude, just) - forget technology (because I guarantee you the consumers have, especially the young ones) - and concentrate on communicating with the audience.
remember your marketing 101 lessons and don’t even try to concern yourself with the back-end of things.
i swear, the next person who says to me "I’m not technical" I’ll cease to talk to them in anything resembling "translation talk" (i.e. me being the buffer between tech and non-tech developer types) and I’ll do nothing but talk in the most technical, geeky, hard-core industry speak I can think of.
then we’ll see how "not technical" they really are.
communications! communications! communications! - remember that - it’s the very reason why we work in marketing/advertising at the end of the day!
quit playing the joker.
Howard
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November 6th, 2007 at 5:10 pm
Sound Familiar?
Interesting post here on the Adventures in Digital Marketing blog Not written about recruitment communications specifically but perhaps something a lot of people in the digital recruitment industry can empathise with!
November 7th, 2007 at 5:40 am
HOward, thanks for this post which made me chuckle in recognition. Wouldn’t you think though that part of this phenomenon is our very presence in these meetings? What I mean is, if a meeting supposedly needs a digital expert, doesn’t that insinuate that this stuff is separate, different and technical? Depending on our skills we sit next to the regular Creatives as well as the strategy/planner person, yet we are in a way responsible for a major production part as well.
I am myself ready to switch over to a single creative (digitally enhanced) role because frankly that “Big Idea / Brand / funny TVC” babble is a walk in the park compared to what I normally think about. I don’t want to keep “chipping in” on other Creatives paper scribbles.