A poster that asks questions:

BoingBoing pointed out this terrific poster from EbOY.

A nice, graphic, celebration of some of the great Web 2.0 brands.

But as I was looking at it, a few questions popped into my head.

If I worked in an ad agency, or a design company, or was a Marketing Director, I'd probably be aware of quite a few of the brands here.

And presumably many of these people have bought into the idea that online is going gangbusters, and that close professional attention should be paid to the tools, opportunities and developments that are coming online every day.

But how many marketing directors read blogs on a regular basis? How many have set up Google alerts with their brand name punched in and those of their competitors? Do they use rss habitually? Have they tried wandering around SecondLife? Or are they happy enough just to read about it in The Economist?

How many designers have a myspace page, or a Flickr account. (And if so do they do enough with it?)

How many ad agency creatives, or new business execs keep a del.icio.us account, and share it throughout the agency. (How many actually know what del.icio.us is?)

My point is, that many people in Marketing, Design and Advertising, buy into the idea of online revolution. They genuinely see it as the 'big-deal' that it is.

But how many truly spend enough time and effort noodling around these Web 2.0 brands, how many set up any number of free accounts to learn about what's happening and is possible. How many do the 'homework' required to really to get to grips with what's going on?

My guess is not nearly enough.

And if that's true, then how can they possibly advise clients on the opportunities of Web 2.0, if they aren't too clued up or immersed in it themselves?

Obviously more commitment, education and experimentation is called for from ad agencies, design companies and marketing departments.

Some, of course are already getting stuck in and it's paying off. Most however, still seem to be still sitting on their hands, waiting for the 'other guys' to make the first move.

Comments

[Stan Lee]

Absolutely spot on Mike. I spent a few weeks at an un-named multinational recently, filling in as CD for an old mate who was on holiday.

I set aside a bit of time each morning and afternoon to catch up on my rss and blog reads. I shared several of the interesting things I came across with senior staff. They were always asking where I found this stuff? Duh!

I also came up with some cool 'online' ideas that were ultimately set aside as the agency had a digital division. Aagh!

Two weeks ago I got a call from a headhunter about a large local agency whose clients were pressuring them to get into digital. They were looking to get someone like me in to help set up a 'digital' division. In 2007!

I remember back in 94 presenting a way ahead of its time online concept to Ford. It was going to cost them $30,000. They just didn't get it. Fast forward to the tail end of 2006 and it seems so many people still don't get it...