• by Lisa Seward , January 29, 2007

Word got out quickly last month when I ended my decade-long tenure as Fallon's media director to start my own company. I was amazed and heartened by how many people contacted me with words of support upon hearing the news.

Yet along with the congratulations and questions about my next step was a subtle yet clear sentiment: "You're abandoning the cause! How could you?"

What cause, you might ask? From the comments, it was pretty evident: that of the full-service agency - more specifically, of media departments within them. After all, my former column was slugged "The Department," and over time, people had come to believe I was a champion of the baked-in media department.

Yet all along I was trying to promote not only a structure but also a philosophy, one rooted in belief in the power of creativity. Granted, I have put a lot of effort over the years into calling for media and creative to work more collaboratively. But I never suggested it had to occur under the same roof. I just felt that today's media realities call for more original communication solutions, which in turn mandate more of a melding of creative and media than seems to be currently done.

In the end, two observations led me to switch gears:

First, the industry just isn't changing fast enough. In too many places, too much of the time, there is still a gap between media and creative - whether provided by the same or different companies. This gap not only leads to less than optimal advertising solutions but has also led to frustration on the part of clients and agencies alike. As a result, marketplace demand for more original answers - truly inventive ideas that do a better job of leveraging new media habits, captivating consumers, and moving business needles - is palpable and growing.

Second, a much more nascent thought: It's possible that media and creative have become the same thing. Not literally, perhaps, and certainly not in all cases, but if you're seeking to create the best of today's new communication successes - and make no mistake, I am - then it's become almost impossible to distinguish between the media and creative specialties. Both rely on deep understanding of consumers, clear and actionable strategies, and inventiveness to solve business problems. And both, I'm starting to believe, can reside within some people.

Still, I'm not a "born entrepreneur" by any stretch. I don't especially relish uncertainty in my life, and I loathe financial risk. So how did I get to this place? My so-loose-as-to-be-terrifying thought process went something like this:

>> "Gee, there's a greater demand than ever for amazing ideas, and it's only heating up."

>> "Heck, the industry isn't responding fast enough. Companies are stuck in their structures and processes. They know they need to change, but can't figure out how."

>> "Golly, we've adopted changes at Fallon Media that allowed us to succeed in new ways. We invented ideas that were hard to categorize as media or creative - and our clients didn't seem to care what we called them, because those ideas keep driving business success."

>> "Shucks, as much fun as filling out RFPs and evaluating competitive-spending data are, I really never have enjoyed my job as much as when I'm working with drop-dead smart, creative people chewing on tough problems and inventing crazy-ass, yet effective solutions."

>> "Hmm ... demand for ideas ... demand for organizational change to get to ideas ... a leader who has some experience and success with both. ... Could there be a business here?"

As you can see, a Harvard MBA I'm not; let's just say that no statisticians were harmed in my hard-hitting analysis. But I'm convinced this window of opportunity will only last so long. I see a rare chance for those of us who love creativity and have experience in delivering it. Crispin, Naked and a handful of other companies are proving that success can be had through powerful, original ideas, regardless of whether they come from a "creative agency" or a "new media" shop. Honestly, I don't know yet what shape my new venture will take or what label you'll put on it a year from now. (I only hope you'll be talking about it a year from now!) I'm trying not to answer those specifics too soon, in order to allow every possibility to make itself clear.

I am sure of one thing, though: I'm not abandoning the cause - I'm doing all I can to manifest it.

Lisa Seward's consultancy is still too new for a name, but you can write to her at ljseward@mchsi.com.