LEIGH FERREIRA

If you are looking for a job at an advertising agency or just looking to hire one, it’s essential to understand the different kinds. No matter how much an agency says it "reinvented the model," a brief study of advertising history proves that there are five different types of ad agencies. • Bill Bernbach-type agencies.  • Rosser Reeves-type agencies • Leo Burnett-type agencies • David Ogilvy-type agencies • Howard Gossage-type agencies Here’s a crude breakdown: Bill Bernbach Agencies • Advertising is an art form  • Focused on persuasion. • Creative Idea Driven  • Entertainment over repetition   • Believes humans make decisions based on emotions.  • Every ad is based on human truths • Idols: Bernbach, Droga • Example: Erich and Kallman Rosser Reeves (Ted Bates) Agencies • Advertising is a science.  • Focused on the hard sell.  • Data-Driven  • Repetition over entertainment • Believes humans make rational decisions • Every ad is wrapped around a “unique selling proposition.”  • Idols: Data.  • Example: Digitas Leo Burnett Agencies • Advertising is symbolism.  • Focused on simplicity.  • Archetype driven   • Drama over cleverness • Believes in the down-to-earth, wide-eyed perspective of Midwesterners  • Every ad is based on finding the inherent drama in the product  • Idols: Themselves as regular people  • Example: WK David Ogilvy Agencies fall somewhere in between. • Advertising is capitalism • Focused on selling or else  • Benefit-Driven • Classy over entertaining • Believes humans are led by emotion but justify it with reason • Every ad is based on a product benefit interestingly told • Idolis: Themselves  • Example: Mekanism The Howard Gossage Agency • Advertising is propaganda • Focused on solving problems  • P.R-Driven • Less advertising over more advertising  • Believes humans want to have a good time  • Every ad is based on a conversation • Idol: As Rory Sutherland put it: "Gossage is the Velvet Underground to David Ogilvy’s Beatles and Bill Bernbach’s Rolling Stones. Not a household name, but to the cognoscenti, a lot more inspirational and influential." • Example: Mischief @ No Fixed Address, Movement Strategy None of these types of agencies are better than any other. All of them serve an essential purpose for every brand. But none of them can truly be all of them. Happiness in this industry is knowing where you belong. Happiness as a client is knowing which one you need. Need help finding the right agency? DM me. 👍 to share  #obercreative My services #advertising #marketing #copywriting #ghostwriting #branding #personalbranding Video: Jerry Della Femina explains the differences

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It appears Omnicom and Interpublic Group are going to merge. It reminds me of a quote from Jay Chiat, co-founder of Chiat Day - "How big can we get before we get bad?" It also reminds me of the letter Bill Bernbach wrote to the management of Grey shortly before he left to start his agency, questioning how big they were getting at the time. Now, more than ever, smaller agencies are going toe-to-toe with the bigger agencies - and winning. So why get bigger? Aside from appeasing shareholders that is. With any move like this, there will be job losses, possibly a lot. This will also lead to some new, smaller, and more nimble agencies being created by some of the experienced, senior talents that will be shown the exit door. And once again, the big players continue to create their own competition. ... ®️©️ 🤘 ⚡ ... #advertising #omnicom #ipg #adagency

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Is SGE going to ruin SEO for lots of business and agencies? Probably! 😨 Thanks to John P. Mello Jr. for including me in his insightful article for TechNewsWorld. 💡 I thought Joe Karasin made a salient and pithy point about where things are going: "SGE is the next phase in Google’s attempt to create a zero-click search experience." #SEO #SGE #AI https://lnkd.in/ga5MffHq

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The clean room future is no longer on the horizon – it’s here. And for leading companies in every industry, clean rooms are transforming marketing strategies. 80% of advertisers spending over $1B on media are already using them. But here's the thing – most brands are only scratching the surface. While many are using clean rooms for audience insights, only a third are leveraging advanced measurement like attribution and ROAS. And broader collaboration across partners and complementary brands offers even greater potential. Modern clean rooms are now fully interoperable, breaking down silos between brands, retailers, and media partners. In talking with companies across industries, I constantly hear their desire to get started, but also recognize that this represents unexplored territory for many. To help companies navigate the complexity, LiveRamp has put together a playbook of some of the most common tactics, and I've attached a link here. Happy reading!

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I have a RL task that I have been struggling with for a while and decided to test 4 AI chat tools with it: create a detailed itinerary for my NYC Christmas trip. I didn't make it easy - 7 days, 15 must-visit places, a wish-list of restaurants, rooftop bars, jazz bars, and specific dishes to try. Plus, everything had to be optimized considering the hotel location, pre-booked tickets, and existing dinner reservations. I was surprised! 🤯 📊 My ranking order: 1. Claude 2. Chat GPT 3. Perplexity 4. Gemini Here's why: 🥇 Claude.ai dominated: - Super organized with perfectly placed activities - Optimal distance planning - Loaded with additional tips - Restaurant and rooftop recommendations with great ratings - Suggested a rooftop bar in the same building as the dinner spot for late night drinks - Gave me multiple itinerary options based on my interests when I asked to change something - Great additional tips on hidden restaurant gems, transportation, holiday markets, convenient subway lines, and evening activities - MINUS points: Made one mistake (a non-existent restaurant) 🥈 ChatGPT solid runner-up: - Provided the most additional tips based on my interests, locations, and time of year - Very well-structured daily planning - Smart hotel rest breaks before nearby activities - Strong attention to detail - Made some mistakes (suggested Brooklyn Bridge in afternoon when I specifically asked for sunrise) 🥉 Perplexity (far behind the leaders): - Well optimized but very basic itinerary - Zero additional recommendations - No reasoning behind suggestions - Just did the bare minimum (no mistakes tho) 😕 Gemini (the disappointment): - First try: "Cannot complete request" - Second attempt: Mixed up my arrival dates (said 04.12 when I specified 03.12 evening) - Least structured of all - Activities poorly organized and hard to follow - Worst optimization for locations and activity types - ZERO additional tips While Google is really struggling with their core: search quality, they are falling behind with the AI game. They are really getting it from both sides. What shocked me most was the massive gap between the top two (Claude/ChatGPT) and the others. The difference in quality, attention to detail, and extra value was mind-blowing. What's your experience with these AI tools? Have you noticed the same performance gaps?

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I had a fab time at the AdTech Economic Forum as we brought together some of the best minds from advertising and finance to share valuable insights and best practices. Big shout out to Michael Farmer and Sabrina Traskos for chatting it up with me on stage about the economics of creative. As we discussed, the creative renaissance really is about creative intelligence and data that is driven by more robust, AI-empowered media planning. I also want to put the spotlight on some of the other leaders at yesterday’s event! Sir Martin Sorrell, Founder & Executive Chairman of S4 Capital Group, shared that personalization at scale is one of the biggest opportunities for generative AI when it comes to creative. Brian Wieser, CFA, Principal at Madison and Wall, expressed that the minority of brands that are proactive about investing in better creative will actually find greater success during economic uncertainty. Finally, Rishad Tobaccowala put it best: “It’s not about the pipes, it’s about the poetry!” How brilliant! All this is to say, we need to get the right, personalized creative in front of the right audience at the right time to drive the right outcome. And please let’s reduce the waste!! #AdTechEconomicForum #Advertising #XRExtremeReach #AI #MediaPlanning #GenAI XR Extreme Reach

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Let’s chat SEO!

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I always knew we at VAB had a talented team, but I didn't realize we had actors and a great stage crew in our midst! What fun putting together this quick video to tee-up our new Measurement Menu (and just in time for the upfront)! Watch our VAB stars and download this one-page menu below! #VAB #Measurement

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The Omnicom/IPG "mega merger" isn't so mega when you look at the spend dominance of big tech. The ground has shifted under agencies feet and the trend of consolidations is a sign the old holding company agency model is dying and tech's performance approach has won. At least for now ... But ... I remain confident we'll see a resurgence of new smaller more creative shops. #marketing #advertising #media #branding #omnicom #ipg #independent

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Small and independent agencies are the future of advertising. Because… Big is slow. And... Small is nimble, flexible, not overstaffed and most importantly - still passionate about creativity. I read an article about the final shareholders meeting for the Omnicom/IPG merger that stated ‘creativity’ was mentioned once, and ‘AI’ was mentioned four times. Small and independent like creativity. Why? Because, more often than not, they are founded and helmed by a creative person or team. Look at Quality Meats Creative on the cover of ADWEEK this week. Birthday New York, helmed by Corinna Falusi, is doing great work for Hinge. CONVICTS in New York are working with Qantas - very rare for a small creative shop to be working with an international airline. There are many more examples. Times are changing. Emerging from this new movement is a camaraderie not previously seen in ‘big advertising’. A “We’re all in this together” vibe is going on. If we all support and cheer for each other maybe the independent movement will grow even stronger. So, if you’re considering launching your creative shop, now might be the perfect time. “It's more fun to be a pirate than to join the navy.” - Steve Jobs Join the community. Maybe we can bring creativity back to the forefront of advertising and brands can get fresh ideas and we can leave the big agencies to do whatever it is they're doing. … ®️©️ 🤘 ⚡ 🏴‍☠️ … #advertising #adagency #creativity

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The Value of Independence in a Changing Advertising Landscape The announcement of Omnicom acquiring Interpublic Group (IPG) to create a $26 billion advertising giant is a big moment for our industry. Consolidation at this scale will definitely shake things up, creating new opportunities but also plenty of challenges for clients and internal teams figuring out how to work within these larger, more complex structures. Having worked at an Omnicom agency earlier in my career, I saw firsthand the benefits and hurdles that come with being part of a global network. The resources and reach are incredible, but the complexity can slow things down. That experience shaped how I approach leadership at Seismic Digital. Our focus is on agility, creativity, and putting our clients’ needs first, things that can get lost in a massive organization. At Seismic, we have chosen to stay fiercely independent. While we respect what the global players bring to the table, we thrive on moving fast and delivering results without the red tape. Our team of Seismonauts, many of whom have backgrounds at agencies like those merging today, know how to bring big ideas to life in an environment that prioritizes uniqueness and innovation. Independence also gives us the ability to embrace cutting-edge tools like generative AI much faster than larger agencies, which means we can deliver value to our clients that much sooner. That is a big deal in a world where speed and impact matter more than ever. We have also onboarded clients who get cast off in situations like this. Once they settle in here, they are reminded what it is like to have a true agency-partner relationship. One where the agency genuinely cares about their goals and works hand in hand on how to achieve them, together. At the end of the day, size is not everything. Uniqueness, creativity, and agility are what really drive impactful advertising. Pair that with innovation and the ability to move quickly and you have got a winning combination. For any companies that might find themselves in the jet wash of deals like this, we always stand ready to have a chat. 🤝🚀 #FiercelyIndependent #AgencyPartner #RelationshipsOverRevenue #ClientFirst #FutureOfAdvertising #AdvertisingThoughts #MarketingLeadership https://lnkd.in/gUTDn6F5

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Terence Kawaja’s “Great Ad Tech Cleanup” isn't just a tidy metaphor for a dusty sector—it’s a prescription for liposuction on an industry that's eaten itself into a coma. #Adtech, after two decades of layering in more fees, middlemen, and head-scratching acronyms, has finally hit a wall. But leave it to Kawaja to drop this wisdom on AdExchanger—wait, people still read that? In Kawaja's view, ad tech is like a hoarder’s house, packed with DSPs, SSPs, and random verification vendors that all claim their piece of the pie. But who’s actually adding value? That’s right—hardly anyone. And so, 2023 rolled around with interest rates high, investors cranky, and Google yanking the third-party cookie rug (or rather, teasing it since 2022) with all the finesse of Lucy with her football. (Yeah that's his metaphor, not mine) Meanwhile, smaller ad tech players are left scrambling to “adapt” or face a corporate Darwinism as merciless as it is overdue. Retail media and CTV may be the new darlings, but don’t break out the champagne. Retail media’s just shuffling dollars from Peter to pay Paul, while CTV feels like a new gold rush in prime time, with winners like The Trade Desk keeping it slick and automated. And then there’s AI, the miracle cure that's supposed to clean up programmatic’s mess—if only it weren’t so complex and, you know, expensive. Kawaja's blunt assessment? Either cut the bloat, automate, and offer something beyond “adtech tax,” or get comfy on the sidelines. This cleanup isn’t a spa day—it’s survival of the leanest, where only those who can turn efficiency into actual innovation will get to stick around. Original Article: https://lnkd.in/g8CQErBv <---he's right you know. Read my full commentary and analysis in my newsletter. This short version skips over a few key points from my full breakdown, which you can read in my newsletter. There, I get into the M&A frenzy, where survival depends on finding a buyer, not just streamlining. Plus, #retailmedia’s hype versus reality, where it’s more budget shuffle than growth engine. And let’s not forget Google’s cookie-delay saga—it’s cost the industry millions and keeps everyone in ad tech guessing.

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How do brands most effectively work with creators? It’s a hot topic, and I had the opportunity to dive into it with mega creator and NYC icon Ocky during our fireside chat during Advertising Week NYC. Watch the full conversation here: https://lnkd.in/dsnmGPJW The key to success? Finding the perfect balance between brand goals, storytelling, and creator authenticity. We’ve partnered with Ocky on high-impact campaigns for Scream VI, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and A Quiet Place: Day One, and each time, it’s been that balance that’s made the magic happen. Shoutout to Creator Economy NYC for being an incredible partner for our fireside chat, and to the growing, vibrant NYC creator community that’s raring to go! What do you think is the key to successful brand-creator partnerships? I’d love to hear your thoughts! #CreatorEconomy #BrandPartnerships #AdvertisingWeek #ContentMarketing #InfluencerMarketing #QYOU

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✅🖥️ Ars Technica (5/7): “Amazon has heightened focus on streaming ads this year. Those who opted for Prime Video with commercials will soon see shoppable carousel ads, interactive pause ads, and interactive brand trivia ads, as Amazon calls them. Amazon said that advertisers could buy these new displays to be shown "across the vast majority of content on Prime Video, wherever it’s streamed." All the new ad formats allow a viewer to place advertised products in their Amazon cart. With carousel ads, subscribers will be pushed to shop "a sliding lineup of" products during ad breaks during shows and movies, Amazon said, adding: "The ad automatically pauses so that customers can browse, and automatically resumes play when ad interaction has stopped." The pause ads will be visible during Prime Video TV shows, movies, and live sports. These types of ads have been around since Hulu introduced them in 2019. Since they can show up whenever someone hits the pause button, these displays mean that Prime Video users will see ads beyond their scheduled breaks. In Prime Video's case, pausing the program will bring up "a translucent ad featuring brand messaging and imagery, along with an 'Add to Cart' and 'Learn More'" overlay, per Amazon. Advertisers can also use pause ads to acquire voluntary viewers' email addresses.” 🛒⬇️ #shoppable #ecommerce #ctvadvertising #streamingtv https://lnkd.in/eAPXRHzw

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💡 #Brands Take note how the #NYPost mitigated #cookiepocalypse risk by using Aqfer's identity resolution tech, informed by Prohaska Consulting. In a post 3rd party cookie 🍪 world killer content and segmentation hooked to an adtech #frankenstack results in risk & loss. Pubs and brands need their own 1st party IDR systems to avoid fragmented customer views that result from multiple ID providers & other partners who are all hooked to each other in an attempt to create their own scale. This many-to-many-middlemen scenario has plagued adtech from the start. The result is redundancy, media waste, inconsistent customer experiences and inaccurate measurement. Think of Aqfer IDR like Data tech’s version of SPO 😉 #DPO, enabling clients like the NYPost, to get a single, deduplicated, omnichannel view of their customers. More here - https://lnkd.in/ggjDGWn5 https://lnkd.in/gTNURTu2

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Have to largely disagree with Mark Ritson here. Product is important, it should deliver a category standard experience. But Liquid Death’s ‘success’ (its still unprofitable) is actuallly entirely through outstanding marketing execution. Specificaly building mental and physical availability. Outstanding branding, packaging, distinctiveness, effective advertising creates saliance. Broad distribution in normal retailers and other complementary channels creates physical availability (at least in the US) and thats how brands grow by increasing penetration and the customer base (majority will still be one time annual buyers). Have a solid product, but its your MA and PA excellence that is the real point of competitve advantage.

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I've previously talked about the pratfall effect - which is where individuals or brands become more likable and attractive when they make a mistake or reveal a flaw. But I was stuggling to find a good FS example of this - and then I stumbled across this! Love how this campaign turns being boring totally on it's head. It's a winner for me - what do you reckon? https://lnkd.in/et4wy2rd #Advertising #Banking #FinancialServices #BeLessDull

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