• by Maarten Albarda , Featured Contributor, November 8, 2024

When I grew up in the late 1960s and early 1970s (I know I am dating myself terribly), growth was a virtue. The world was still climbing out of the devastation of two world wars, a struggling economy, a global nuclear threat, two wars in Asia, an oil crisis and a world order that had changed dramatically.

If you read historical records and biographies of some of the political and business leaders at the time, it is interesting to see how much value they placed on collaboration, alliances and solidarity. The world had come together in two world wars because most of the world was aligned around what was “right” and what was “wrong.”

The world’s reaction to understanding the destructive and possibly world-ending power of nuclear weapons was to come together. NATO was formed, as well as the EU. When a president in the U.S. crossed the line of what was deemed acceptable behavior, he was out. In fact, Nixon removed himself. Politicians were certainly not all clean and good, but if you were found to have done wrong, you were out also.

The world accomplished things. We landed on the moon. In response to the oil crisis, we started to build more fuel-efficient cars. Countries around the world recognized civil rights, women’s rights and rights and acceptance for other minorities.

My memories may sound rose-tinted. But all these things happened (sometimes with significant struggles), and the world was better for it. It certainly wasn’t perfect, but the prevailing idea was that we would grow and as a result we would be better off.

Somehow it feels like we have lost the belief in doing something together to get to a better outcome. Today, it seems like you have to take a side and, everybody who deviates from that side is not just someone with a different idea but the enemy.

Look at the state of our industry (Ha! You thought this was about the state of politics in the U.S.! Which of course it is, as well). Today, each platform has its own data. They all tell you that their data is to be trusted and makes your life as a marketer better. Consumers are told the same about how their data is used. But any efforts to harmonize data across platforms is virtually impossible. If you are Google, never shall you ever collaborate with Meta. If you are The Disney Corporation, never shall you ever share data with NBC Universal.

If you are an agency, the marketer’s procurement department is the enemy. If you are a media auditor, the agency’s media team is the enemy. If you are a creative director, those dumb-dumb brand managers are the enemy, as well as their always cost-cutting procurement department. If you are social media, the government and its never-ending quest to limit and meddle are the enemy. If you are an ad verification and compliance tracking company, everybody is the enemy.

Don’t get me wrong. This is not me complaining about competition. Competition is good and healthy. This is about willfully blocking collaboration because you perceive your self-interest more important than anything else. The world grew and learned much faster when we didn’t think like that. Sadly, I don’t think that will change any time soon.