Keeping pace with technology is vital for agencies
By Ralph Tathagata
Different organisations react to innovation differently. For organizations focusing on faster deliveries, reduced spendings, and enhanced user experience, adopting new technology is absolutely essential. For agencies, whether it’s for providing clients with up-to-date work, taking advantage of ad tech tools, or finding new platforms, one of the simplest ways to stay updated with tech is to make sure they employ and empower people who are interested and excited about tech, and are able to influence the direction of creativity.
However, with technology changing rapidly, keeping pace can seem impossible because contemporary ad tech tools, social media trends, and hardware might be different within a space of one year.
Recently, experts in Nigeria’s Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC) industry had an interactive session, which focused on data and technological adoption. According to the agency practitioners, contemporary agencies need to be adaptive, evolving, trendy and value-oriented while ensuring and building a reliable and valuable client partnership for sustainable growth.
The marketing communication professionals asserted this position during a panel session of the 2022 Media Independent Practitioners Association of Nigeria’s (MIPAN) Annual General Meeting (AGM), which had the theme: “The Role of Data and Technology in Economic Development”.
With the rapid changes in the tech world, how can agencies make sure that they’re keeping pace? More importantly, how can they tell if they’re investing in the right technology and skills?
Among the agency technical decision makers, while the role is sometimes filled by the Chief Technology Officer or the project managers of development teams, it is very important to have tech-proficient people in other creative and leadership positions.
There are many benefits to having these tech decision makers handling different segments of a creative agency. Not only will this allow for the cross-pollination of ideas, but these leaders’ interest in tech will likely spread to others.
What’s more, it’s also important to give employees the space and opportunities to explore new technologies on their own. This exploration is better when self-directed, since they’ll be more likely to follow their interests and the specific trends that are relevant to their work.
Therefore, agencies should consider investing in hardware that’s just for tinkering and experimenting. For instance, some of the latest hardware includes the Google Tilt Brush, which allows users to draw in 3D via virtual reality.
Keeping up with technology isn’t just about giving employees access to cutting edge hardware. Technological innovation can also stem from software, platforms, and online tools. A complementary path would be investing in additional training and career direction for employees who are interested in technology and internet culture. This could mean sending employees to tech events and conferences or paying for additional training.
From ad tracking solutions to new ways of leveraging social media, it can be easier and more affordable to try new technologies if the clients are willing to test new tools and techniques with the agencies.
Meanwhile, agencies should keep in mind that just as they would pitch a new strategy or concept to a client, any new technologies they pitch should be aligned with the client’s goal.
Finally, agencies can use themselves as labs for testing new ideas. When these tests prove successful, their innovations can be an easier sell to clients. As long as agencies have a long-term strategy in place, innovation will become second nature.
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