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Breaking News: Deep Focus To Be Acquired.
I was going to write a long post about this exciting day, but I figured I’d just address this personally:
Posted in 
See Me At Ad Age’s Digital Marketing Conference on Tuesday 3/18.
My next speaking gig should be a doozy.
I’ll be appearing at Advertising Age’s Digital Marketing Conference this Tuesday, 3/18 on the following panel:
11:30am — Talking Talent
There’s a new crop of stars in town who’ve grown their celebrity via MySpace pages, YouTube channels and videos gone viral. And now, of course, they’re celebrity spokespeople.
Moderator: John Battelle, Founder/Chairman/CEO, Federated Media
Panelists:
Nathan Coyle, Digital Agent, Creative Artists Agency
Ian Schafer, CEO, Deep Focus
Robert B. Stone, Director of Interactive & Emerging Media, Cadbury Schweppes Americas Beverages
Damon Wayans, Founder, WayoutTV.com
This should be a fantastic panel, one that will address issues about online video and the talent that plays such a big role in its success. Brands, publishers, and talent will stand to learn a great deal from the varied perspectives on the panel.
Act now, because this thing is almost completely sold out, people.
My Podcast Interview @ SXSW.
While at SXSW, I did a podcast interview with one of my favorite Scotsmen, Ewan Spence. I talk about the state of online marketing, the (in)famous Zuckerberg interview, and some other potpourri.
Reminder: See me at Media Summit NY on Wednesday, March 12th.
Remember, I’ll be attending the Media Summit NY on March 12th, presented by Digital Hollywood where I’ll be speaking on the following panel:
2:15 PM - 3:30 PM
Session C:
Advertising NEXT: Social Networks, User Generated Video, Blogs, IMs, Podcasts, Broadband and Mobile
In this session, we will look for a comprehensive understanding of what advertising in the next generation will look like. The world of advertising has been completely dislocated by the acceptance and integration of the new technologies, from PVR and Broadband to Social Networks, VOD, Mobile, Blogs and ITV, the consumer is being both barraged by content and choice, he/she is being overwhelmed by the technology itself. While the decisions being made by the advertising community are always measured and incremental, the technologies at hand are profound and will only move forward. How fast and at what rate of impact is still to be understood, but the question is no longer about consumer acceptance and proof of distribution, it is about when the roof is going to cave in. The new technologies are successfully invading traditional media and the good news is rather than leaving the advertiser without a way of reaching the audience, the new technologies may ultimately prove to be better and more comprehensive vehicle for reaching and developing relationships with an even larger customer base.
Bant Breen, president, Interpublic’s Futures Marketing Group
Kevin P. Ryan, Co-Chairman, Alley Corp., former CEO and co-founder, DoubleClick
Anne Hunter, Vice President, Platform-A Strategic Advertising Solutions, AOL
Scott Kessler, Senior Director, Information Technology, Internet Software & Services and Internet Retail, Standard & Poor’s Equity Research
Marc Ruxin, SVP, Director, Digital Strategy and Innovation, MCCANN WorldGroup
Ian Schafer, President and Founder, Deep Focus
Dean Carignan, Director, Ad Business Strategy, E&D Division, Microsoft Corporation
Tim Chang, Principal, Norwest Venture Partners, Moderator
Registration is here. See you then!
See Me At Media Summit NY on Wednesday, March 12th.
Hopefully, you’ll be attending the Media Summit NY on March 12th, presented by Digital Hollywood where I’ll be speaking on the following panel:
2:15 PM - 3:30 PM
Session C:
Advertising NEXT: Social Networks, User Generated Video, Blogs, IMs, Podcasts, Broadband and Mobile
In this session, we will look for a comprehensive understanding of what advertising in the next generation will look like. The world of advertising has been completely dislocated by the acceptance and integration of the new technologies, from PVR and Broadband to Social Networks, VOD, Mobile, Blogs and ITV, the consumer is being both barraged by content and choice, he/she is being overwhelmed by the technology itself. While the decisions being made by the advertising community are always measured and incremental, the technologies at hand are profound and will only move forward. How fast and at what rate of impact is still to be understood, but the question is no longer about consumer acceptance and proof of distribution, it is about when the roof is going to cave in. The new technologies are successfully invading traditional media and the good news is rather than leaving the advertiser without a way of reaching the audience, the new technologies may ultimately prove to be better and more comprehensive vehicle for reaching and developing relationships with an even larger customer base.
Bant Breen, president, Interpublic’s Futures Marketing Group
Kevin P. Ryan, Co-Chairman, Alley Corp., former CEO and co-founder, DoubleClick
Anne Hunter, Vice President, Platform-A Strategic Advertising Solutions, AOL
Scott Kessler, Senior Director, Information Technology, Internet Software & Services and Internet Retail, Standard & Poor’s Equity Research
Marc Ruxin, SVP, Director, Digital Strategy and Innovation, MCCANN WorldGroup
Ian Schafer, President and Founder, Deep Focus
Dean Carignan, Director, Ad Business Strategy, E&D Division, Microsoft Corporation
Tim Chang, Principal, Norwest Venture Partners, Moderator
Registration is here. See you then!
Prepare Now for SXSW.
I’ll be headed down to Austin, TX for SXSW Film & Interactive on Friday, returning on Tuesday. While down there, I’ll be posting my thoughts on what I hope to be a great few days. If you’re not going, you can follow along right here at IanSchafer.com.
But if you are planning on attending, here’s how to catch up with me and say hello in person:
1) Get a Twitter account. Follow my every move at http://www.twitter.com/ischafer.
2) Attend my panel:
Blogs, Buzz, and Buddy Lists
Room 12AB
Sunday, March 9th
3:30 pm - 4:30 pm
Use the Internet before the Internet uses you. Thanks to blogs, web-video, and social networking sites, the online universe is a valuable (but no less intimidating) landscape for artists. How do you get the best out of blogs and other sites, to maximize your potential for an audience. Or, how do you get yourself introduced to the booming industry of online journalism and video sharing? These experts will dig deep into these ever-changing trends.
Moderator: Paul Harrill, Lovell Films
Karina Longworth, Film Blogger, Spout.com
Alison Willmore, IFC
Ian Schafer, CEO, Deep Focus
Victor Pineiro, Writer/Producer, Second Skin
3) Check out these panels at SXSW Interactive that I’ll likely be attending:
Saturday, 8 March 2008
11:30AM The Suxorz: The Worst Ten Social Media Ad Campaigns of 2007
2:00PM Opening Remarks with Henry Jenkins and Steven Johnson
5:00PM Behind the Scenes at the Onion News Network
5:00PM Social Marketing Strategies Metrics, Where Are They?
5:00PM Social Network Coups: The Users are Revolting!
Sunday, 9 March 2008
10:00AM Social Design Strategies
11:30AM Social Strategies For Revolutionaries
2:00PM Keynote Interview with Mark Zuckerberg
3:30PM Blogs, Buzz, and Buddy Lists
5:00PM Gossip
Monday, 10 March 2008
10:00AM Sponsored Panel: Going Social Now
5:00PM Pimp My Non Profit - Real Non-Profits Kicking Ass with Online Technology
5:00PM Sponsored Panel: The Web Agency: There Will Be Blood
Tuesday, 11 March 2008
11:30AM Peas in a Pod: Advertising, Monetization and Social Media (B)
4) Don’t forget to check out the Deep Focus/BlogAds/NPR/PBS/indieWire/ITVS party on Sunday, March 9 @ 9pm at KLRU’s legendary Austin City Limits Studio [2504 B Whitis (Corner Guadalupe & Dean Keeton)]! More information at the party’s event page on Facebook.
5) Read IanSchafer.com!
Special Thanks.
I’d like to take a moment to extend a very sincere ‘thank you’ to Deep Focus Creative Directors Nick Braccia and Dana Deskiewicz for penning some pretty darn fantastic blog posts in my week off.
From time to time, I’ll be calling on them for guest commentary and insight.
But for now, I’m back in action. And tan. Or, at least as tan as I get. Maybe just a little more freckly than usual.
Going to SXSW? Come to Our (Soon-To-Be-Legendary) Party.
Deep Focus Goes Analog for Harold and Kumar.
We’ve done analog advertising before, but this one is just too cool to hold in.
Download our Harold and Kumar Prison Activity Fun Book by clicking here.
Color outside the lines, children. And then when you’re done, you can use it as rolling papers. That’s what H & K would probably do.
And when you’re done with that, you can re-watch Shaq’s Super Bowl spot from our friends at vitaminwater. It’ll be even funnier, if that’s possible.
I Get Interviewed By AgencySpy.
Do you read AgencySpy?
Well, you should. If sardonic wit, biting sarcasm, no-holds-barred looks at the ad industry are your thing, then make AS part of your daily fix. The blog humors. It humbles. And AgencySpy? Well she’s wonderful.
AgencySpy decided to take the time out of her busy day to spend a little bit of time interviewing me about digital agencies and the advertising business, and I even got the chance to freestyle rap.
Check out the exclusive interview by clicking here.
Here’s a taste:
Digital implies cutting edge. In fact, some of the best indie
digital shops seem to us like trend units. Do you feel as though
that’s true - that digital agencies are required to be up on all
things “happening” in culture online and off? Do you clients expect that of you?Digital agencies take many forms, and many play different roles. The vast majority of roles do not require an agency to be ‘hip’ or ‘cutting edge’ or even aware of what’s next. The average agency is a role player, and winds up being average in the process. And many times, ‘average’ is ‘good enough’ (like the Cyndi Lauper song from The Goonies).
But the best agencies are up on all things ‘happening’ in culture online and off. And for the record, an agency is not up on all things ‘happening’ just because they have a ‘lab’. Or someone in charge of ‘innovation’. A true awareness of emerging trends, technologies, and behaviors requires an agency to make that awareness part of its culture — part of everyone that works there — to have it come through in every piece of work. The best digital agencies (creative, media, PR, or full service) know what is emerging, and what will ultimately emerge (sometimes two different things).
