The benefits of our TAAN membership

Think there’s a typo in that headline? Wrong. TAAN stands for Transworld Advertising Agency Network.

TAAN is the oldest worldwide agency network and has member agencies in 47 markets around the world. From South Africa to St. Louis, members meet and share openly and willingly. Often they will partner on projects when the blend of expertise or location makes sense for the client.

TAAN is a membership-based organization with dues and benefits and responsibilities, created for agency owners. We are very honest about everything happening at our “shop” and look for advice from others. The most exciting part is that we truly are global. Every two years we hold global meetings where we not only learn new ways of approaching the advertising business, but get a chance to build or renew relationships with folks from other cultures and countries.

So why is TAAN important to our clients? One benefit is that we have reliable relationships with at least 30 agencies from around the country and over the oceans. Another is that we get outside the agency walls for three days twice a year. We spend so many intense hours focused on meeting deadlines, accomplishing creative goals, establishing brands and making sure the right ad ran, there’s not much time to think. Attending presentations by industry specialists gives us a chance to step back from the daily hustle, process new lessons and apply them to our own situations. Also, we get to have one-on-one conversations with colleagues from other agencies about all sorts of important minutiae that we can’t talk about with folks at our own agency. It’s stimulating and energizing — and a client wants a stimulated, energized agency. Of course a side of discipline and process orientation is valuable too!

Now there is one caveat — if I don’t act on the new information and new perspectives I’ve gained at a TAAN meeting, I haven’t helped my agency. So the next time you’re considering an agency — to hire or to work for — ask if it has ever been a network member — and whether it has applied any of the knowledge gained as a result.

Did I mention that I just returned from a TAAN meeting (which we hosted in Wilmington, DE)? The focus was on applying social media to an agency’s growth.

My goal: be a better blogger.

So I am beginning to get it—this whole social media thing. I threatened to quit Facebook earlier this year…but didn’t. It’s still too intriguing to me. And yes, it is fun to connect with old friends and business associates…even some distant relatives have touched base.

So here is my commitment to myself and my company and many acquaintances—I will become a better (meaning simply a more involved and more active) blogger in 2010. Alright, this is my promise to all of you…I’ll start thinking about why you read blogs and what’s important to you. Why did you stop here? Curious about the agency? Our work? Our clients? Our staff? Or are you really that interested in me? I doubt that it’s all about me. My posts will be about what would interest you…not just what interests me. And hopefully that keeps you coming back to read new content.

Am I too old for Facebook?

So it’s no secret — I’m well into my 50s. I learned the basics using pencils with portable erasers that were the size of small Volkswagens. Eventually I graduated to relying on secretaries who used carbon paper. These same secretarial resources also made my thoughtful presentations come to life using some low-cost overhead projections. Then life got fancy and we all started using slides! The fax machine really changed the whole mindset though — I was suddenly able to “do my own faxes” (well, usually).
I’ve been able to stay abreast of all this change because for the past 30-plus years I have worked in the communications industry surrounded by lively, smart young people — all using the latest technology. But there have been personal influences as well — my 20-something daughters! Their school demanded that they own laptop computers starting in 8th grade!

So in the last two years along comes this opportunity called “social media.” Employees are (for the most part) abuzz, trade journals provide weekly updates and editorial positions on this thing called “social” and family is already there with Facebook. Hmmm. If 20-something daughters can chat with friends and show pictures, why can’t I? And after all, this is the business I’m in! So the combination of pressures was too great and with one nervous leap I was officially on Facebook. My first week on “The Book” was memorable. Tons of people were “on my wall,” others invited me to be their “friend” — what had we been up until then? I was tagged, blocked and God knows what else. And while all of this was memorable, it was not stimulating! Why?

1. Most of the early respondents were my daughters’ friends from high school! All nice kids, some were noticeably more mature but most were offering comments like, “Mr. G. — Cool to see that you are doing Facebook!” or “finally you’re on The Book — where is Mrs. G.?”
2. Most of the messages were weird “inside” jokes or outright dumb remarks.
3. Truthfully, to be “good” at this social media thing, you have to be on the edge of your computer as much of the day as possible and, quite frankly, I’d rather be on the golf course.

Please don’t misunderstand — I like technology and I love people. But The Book is too much for me. Besides which, golf is a very social game.