Nine Reasons…Not To Panic About The Economy And Its Effect On The Ad Biz

Gloom and doom have taken over the blogosphere. Here are nine reasons not to panic.

9. The Digital Advertising CW Always Overshoots Everything

The conventional wisdom in our business is always ridiculously polarized. We don’t like things, we love them with the very fiber of our being. And then three months later we despise them like child molesters. The bipolarity of the CW is absolutely absurd in our business. People are totally overreacting.

8. Panic Doesn’t Help

To succeed in this kind of environment, you need your wits, you need to be rationale. You can’t be rational if your head is filled with metaphorical scythe blades.

7. You’re In The Right Sector

Digital advertising is going to be less negatively impacted. That’s an absolute certainty. Brands still need ways to connect, and TV/Print aren’t getting any better at that, while digital is.

6. There Will Always Be a Need For The Best And Brightest Of Our Industry

If you’re good at what you do, the industry will need you. It doesn’t mean that smooth sailing in your career is guaranteed, but if you face setbacks, you’ll get back on your feet quickly.

5. By Working Together, You and Your Team Can Win

Collaboration is the secret to success in our business. There are lots of prerequisites to success in the business, but they pale in comparison to the ability for teams to come together and create better marketing experiences together. A jittery economy makes us all need each other more. Those that take that need and put it to healthy use are going to make great things happen.

4. This Ain’t 2001

The dot bust of 2001 was much deeper for digital than any possible downturn now will be. Why? Because back in 2001 very few companies/brands with money actually understood or believed in digital. Heck, most didn’t even acknowledge the potential of digital. Now digital is recognized by all as the future of media and marketing. If the lines on the eMarketer charts only go up 12% instead of 40% a year, they’re still going up. Now, you tell me any other business that has lines going up for the foreseeable future.

3. Use This Period As An Opportunity to Reconnect

Too many people in digital (and in many other businesses) sacrifice personal lives and relationships for the work. It can be tempting, given that we’re in the most exciting and remarkably dynamic industry around. But environmental changes such as this give us an opportunity to reassess what’s important. And the people in our lives are more important than our meteoric career plans or the next social media opp.

2. A Little Media Opp Culling Isn’t Necessarily a Bad Thing

There are a lot of dumb ideas out there masquerading as media opps. 400 ad networks? I’m guessing that our industry can make it with just 300. ;-) Thousands of social media networks? I’m guessing 900 will do just fine. ;-)

1. The Digital CW Always Overshoots Everything

Did I mention this already? ;-)

Thanks for reading, and don’t forget to write.