The Advertising World As We Know It Is Dying. What Does the Next Era Look Like?

The Globe and Mail's frequent marketing reporter, Simon Houpt began an article: "It's a strange state of affairs when even advertising agencies are leery of saying they do advertising."

He continues: "Chalk it up to the fact that advertising, at least the way it is traditionally concieved, is widely believed to be in its death throes, beset by a perfect storm of technology-induced cultural changes."

Houpt further adds though that advertising agencies are currently bolstering their reputations as something different than advertisers. Leo Burnett has recently promoted through their new book HumanKind saying that advertising has become about people. Perhaps trying to instill a sense of humanism if you will, considering the circumstances of a shaky worldwide economy and the social web have pushed across forcing advertisers to adhere to a moral standard. It's about people, purpose, participation and populism according to Leo Burnett in this video below.

It's a step forward towards a new kind of advertising, whatever it may be called, as the industry has deep roots in creative socio-economic manipulation which can change the world for better or worse. 

Focus on what the technology can achieve, not what it is.