If I were able to go back to the 80’s and give myself a couple of things to make life easier and to revolutionize my world, the first would be hair strengtheners, the second would be all the social media toys I now have at my disposal.
Back in the 80’s when I used to work in the world of newspapers I would promise the world and charge the earth. My sales targets were massive, a full page at rate card would cost the same as a small house and what actually could we do? Put a picture on a page. I remember a meeting with Direct line. They were the first company to come up with the jingle logo. I had an idea, what if we could put a tiny player into the paper so when the page was turned the logo would play. Everyone was very excited, looked into it and costed it out. When the figures came back it was shown that not only was it too expensive but also a lot of trouble and hassle, for just one day, especially when there were other mediums, ie TV & Radio, who though more expensive could do the job. The client settles for the normal ½ page and that’s that.
Fast forward 20 years and it’s all possible. Not within the paper pages but certainly on apps. It’s a one off cost to produce and then capable of spreading around all platforms.
The most revolutionary difference is that all mediums can and do speak to each other, collaborate to make things happen. Back in the 80’s not only did we not speak to the competition, we rarely spoke to other departments within our own brand. Bonkers!
Social media brings it all together; the only limitation is imagination and effort. And as for the hair strengtheners my follicles thank me now.