Jimmy Gilmore» bloggers

Time to stop pussy footing, creative folks.

Jimmy Gilmore — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 03:24:33 +0000

: Image by musha68000 via Flickr

I’m a copywriter and also a social media guy. So a post by Jim Mitchem got me fired up last week. And it also got me thinking about the role that creative folks are playing in the social space right now. The reality is we’re not doing all that much right now. In fact, a lot of what I’m doing in the social space has more to do with coaching and cheer leading than it does being creative.

So I think the time for the best in my field, copywriters and art directors, to help transform social media to a more creative space over the next couple of years. Right now, clients are still just talking about spending big bucks on social media and we in the agency world, are still trying to get them to actually pony up the agency fees required to have a senior creative do something transformative. And I can’t wait.

Right now the inspiring and creative things are coming from developers and technical innovators. But sooner or later the wizzbang excitement is going to be gone and we’re going to need these tools to be distributing engaging content. The creatives role will be to step up and make make this interesting, exciting and well, creative.

Back in the early days of film, audiences were happy to sit through a screening of a horse running and train chugging along a track. And they were actually afraid they were going to get hit by the train. It was damn exciting stuff for people who had never seen anything like it before. After a few years though, the same audiences started demanding a story. And directors like Eisenstein and DW Griffin delivered with Battleship Potemkin and Birth of a Nation.

Web 2.0 is delivering us the tools to be creative in entirely new ways and it’s now up to us to figure out how make the most of it. Yes there have been some interesting projects and I hope it won’t be till the One Show and D&AD create an award for Twitter before we see the full power of advertising creativity unleashed on the space. Let’s not wait, lets start moving the ball now. It can never hurt to get ahead of everyone else.

Loose you inhibitions

Jimmy Gilmore — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 20:00:04 +0000

My 3 year old had a ballet recital this weekend. It was awesome. 20 little girls just throwing it all out there for the sheer joy of doing something they enjoy. Big smiles on their faces and having the time of their short lives.

Ballet is new to them and they’re finding great joy in it. However, the longer us adults do something the more inhibited we become. We’re afraid to show that we’re amateurs and end up paralyzed.

But the fact is, most of us are amateurs at social media. Even the media professionals are. They may spend the day working on old media but they too are fish out of water when it comes to blogging. And even though social media is part of my job, it’s constantly changing, putting me and any participant on a perpetually steep learning curve. A curve that I embrace – it keeps things interesting.

So why not loose your inhibitions a bit in this space? Reach out, engage and be creative. Be that three year old just doing it for the joy of it. How can you make a fool of yourself if we’re all still learning?

Ten things advertising people need to know about social media

jimmygilmore — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 21:21:25 +0000

: Image via CrunchBase

Notice this doesn’t say “Top Ten.” Just ten things, as a modest practitioner of copy and social media, I think aren’t obvious to people coming to social media from advertising.

I expect some people will have a few problems with this list. That should be expected, we are still defining social media. Got a problem, leave a comment. I’m listening.

The PR people are way ahead of you in this arena. Their business has been shifting more dramatically and longer than ours.
Social Media isn’t a threat to your job if you still have one and you take SM seriously. But if you don’t have a job, it could be your savior.
Social media isn’t just about user generated content. You have to give people something to talk about.
If you dig in and dedicate yourself to social media, you’ll gain more than you’ll give.
Social media still needs a concept. If you just build it, they won’t come.
Don’t concept for the technology. Social media isn’t usually “paid,” so do what makes sense for the brand and the concept. Just because the client said they want a Facebook page, doesn’t mean you should make one.
Social media is about learning and sharing. Your social media executions should share something of value.
You can’t tell half truths or even spin. The bloggers will skewer you.
Social media isn’t a fad.
Learning is more important than in other media.

I’m sure I must have missed something…