iris’ McIlrath gives predictions for next 10 years
January 4th, 2010
Shaun McIlrath, executive creative director at iris, lifts the lid on his predictions for the next 10 years in the industry. The former creative director of Hurrell and Dawson and HHCL is regarded as a pioneer in creative integration, having previously founded Heresy prior to its merger with VCCP, and has won over 180 major industry awards.
“The agency of the future will be much more multi-dimensional than today’s agencies. Today’s agencies are still basically built around the notion of “persuasion” and often have a single communication skill set at their core (e.g. advertising, direct or digital). But, in the internet age, the notion of corporations persuading us to buy stuff is simply insulting.
“The future role of the agency will be in facilitation. We will facilitate better relationships between consumers and companies by helping to create platforms, products, services and, yes, communications or entertainment, that have genuine value for the recipient.
“This is not about giving people jingles to sing – rather, it is about using marketing money to make the brand more useful to people – because that will be why people wish to engage with it – emotionally, as well as rationally.
“This is a move from 60 year old mass market selling tactics to modern empowerment strategies that enable the consumer to derive actual value from brands.
“Facilitation is also truer to the role of an agent. Just as sports agents create opportunities that bring their stars closer to consumers and offer entertainment (films or TV), access (pro-ams, testimonials etc) or opportunity (branded product, How To books and DVD’s etc).
“These are win win deals where everyone gains. There is very little of value for consumers in today’s advertising – the most you get from a TV commercial is an irritating slogan lodged in your head.”
Shaun has been a key voice in the industry for many years, and contributed to a wide variety of literature on advertising. Back in 2002, Admap published this piece on his thoughts on the future of the creative industry.