Working as a copywriter and later CD in Germany, I lead quite a few major pitches. Once my team received the brief, the first thing they did was grab all the available Luerzer Archives and annuals. And for the next few days, all the creative power was wasted on rummaging through old annuals, trying to be inspired by genius. In the end, none of it resulted in any innovative ideas, just recycling brilliant ideas into second-rate advertising.

But what would you expect from a society that thrives on copycats? Food Network is based on the idea that people don’t trust their own instincts, rather copying experts. Andrew writes brilliantly about his own cooking experience on the Northern Planner blog. Just spend a few hours with HGTV, home improvement magazines or healthy lifestyles shows. It’s all about copying what other people have done.

Average marketing is done by reading a lot of advice. An average life is lived by consuming a lot of advice. Real life starts when you get the basics down, learn everything you can from your parents, family, friends, books, movies, music, etc. and then shut all the outside influences out and create your own life. Your own convictions, your own style.

All the people that ask for another viral video or a widget or more bright shiny objects, didn’t take the time to process information. Just like the creatives reading annuals after annuals. Get the creative brief and let it sink in. Don’t give in to the noise and create more noise. Then use the product/service. Push it as hard as you can. Use it as you. Use it as your neighbor. Use it as Joe Blow. And let that sink in. Your job is to keep the noise level down to a minimum. Your mind needs silence to develop inspiring, innovative ideas.

These are hectic times: Ad clutter, nervous marketing departments, anxious agencies to sell the newest fad or sticking to the old :30s because the rest is so confusing.

It’s not that hard.

Instead of relying on the pied pipers of old/new/emerging/whatever marketing, trust yourself first. Or as Funkadelic brilliantly sang: “Free your mind and your ass will follow.”

Advertising used to be so easy: You write a cool tagline, develop a cool commercial, make sure all communications surrounding the commercial is integrated and then hope for the best. You worked for a great agency when you were thinking about the client goals throughout the creation process. You worked for a mediocre agency when everybody just cared about the awards and recognition. And you worked for a real crapshop when everybody was just thinking about their paycheck.

Ob boy, things have really changed. Now, agencies have to deliver experiences that improve people’s lives and, at the same time, make sure to help their clients with the bottom line. Thinking about awards shouldn’t even make the Top 10 list anymore.

In the old days, we tried to build emotional connections through funny 30-second sketches and innovative imagery. Today, we build emotional connections by helping people solve their problems: The widget displaying real-time traffic on your desktop, easing your commute and saving nanoseconds because you don’t have to type the URL. The Pizza Builder that makes the ordering process less arduous and so much more enjoyable. The Facebook CarPool application that helps people to connect with each other to reduce the their carbon footprint and get from A to B quicker.

The flashy ad doesn’t work anymore. People have moved on a while ago. Today, businesses build emotional connections  through utility. Make my life easier, more enjoyable, more experiential. Give me stories and memories to share, develop something special for me. Show that you understand me. Show that you don’t want to pollute my life with more noise. Show that you care about me. That’s how you develop connections and relationships.
And make people care about you.

It’s fascinating to see how the media and public trash Silda Spitzer for her appearance during the apology press conference last Monday. People describe her behavior as nauseating, phony, awful. Years ago when Hillary Clinton stood by Bill or Dina Matos McGreevey flanked her husband through his coming-out affair, the public almost admired the courage and love of these women. Today, the same women would face the wrath of the majority.

Sure, one reason is the lack of authenticity. Is there a wife in this world holding hands with her husband a few days after she found out about $4,000 hookers? We’ve seen it too many times (Hillary, Matos McGreevy and Suzanne Craig come to mind) and we just don’t believe our eyes anymore. Just like the defendant claiming not guilty after being caught on tape. Or the kid being caught in the cookie jar. Over years of life and media experience, people have formed very sensitive antennas for bull***t.

Having said that, we encounter bull***t all day long but don’t get that enraged. Why are that many people angry?

Silda Spitzer played the part she was supposed to play in the past: Women were supposed to stand by their men. Women were supposed to look adoringly at their husbands when they deliver the stump speech for the gazillionth time. Times have changed.

All of us encounter new and changing expectations each and every day.As a father, it’s not enough to just pat your kid on the back and go to work. Now, you need to change diapers and overcome endless sleepless to be called a father. Same is true for agencies: Three Martini lunches and an overnight creative effort won’t win you any pitch anymore. There’s a lot of chatter about the changing agency landscape.

Big Agencies used to be celebrity-filled creative hot shops with no strategic insights and, besides awards, no reason to exist, besides looking beautiful. While many creative agencies have adjusted to the times and revealed innovative creative work, most media agencies have not learned their lesson. They are still smiling at their beloved creative shop and client.

Yes, I know. Changing from stepchild at the table to household leader is hard. But media agencies have no choice: People are not where they used to be and media is not as easy as it used to be. Reaching the audience has become a monumental task. Engaging the audience feels like a Sisyphean task. Dont’ even bother asking about connecting.

Agencies have to adjust to them times. Reach loses its importance. Real, authentic connections become essential. This might happen through product development participation, advanced design or conversational marketing. But it has to happen. And will.

Otherwise, you’ll end up in a pitiful spot. Just like Silda Spitzer.