Call it “How Goodby Got Its Groove Back.”

This last October, I had the good fortune to be invited to speak about advertising innovation at the AICP Conference in New York City. Ad legend Jeff Goodby was also on hand, and among other things, he shared some of the ways his agency has sought to transform itself from a shop best known for eye-popping TV commercials into a digital marketing machine.

During his session, Goodby talked about how new managing partner Derek Robson had led the effort, and how well it's paying off.

In writing my new book, THE ON-DEMAND BRAND, I talked to Robson directly about the transformation effort, and about how Goodby, Silverstein & Partners - the agency behind such classic campaigns as "Got Milk" and the Foster Farm Chickens - had found itself in a funk, and felt increasingly irrelevant in an emerging, transmedia world of social media, user-generated content, mobile, online video and more.

A few years ago, the agency set an ambitious goal to completely revamp itself for the digital age. "Our goal is to be unrecognizable 12 months from now," creative director Jamie Barrett told the industry press at the time.

It was well worth the effort.

In less than a year, Goodby saw revenues leap 20% to $102 million.

At the start of its transformation effort, 80% of the 26-year-old agency’s revenues came from traditional advertising campaigns (and less that 20% coming from digital initiatives). Today, it’s 60/40.

Now, a team once vexed by what it called “Crispin Envy” for all the attention Crispin Porter+Bogusky was getting for its groundbreaking digital initiatives, found its own footing – and then some.

Indeed, so remarkable has the transformation been that ADWEEK named the resurgent Goodby U.S. Agency of The Year.

And while many have driven this transformation, no one has received more credit as a catalyst for change than Robson, whom Goodby recruited from Bartle Bogle Hegarty in London.

As the agency’s new managing partner, Robson immediately began implementing some strategic changes that have helped the agency retool, reconfigure and recalibrate itself for an amazing new era.

Over the next few days, I'll post excerpts from source interviews with Robson where he shares his perspective on his approach to fostering transformation, and his advice to marketers and agencies hoping to do the same.

Up first: Confronting 'Crispin Envy."

PART 1: Agent Provocateur (Approx. 5.27 min.)

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

>>> IN STORES NOW - LEARN MORE (AND ORDER YOUR COPY) - HERE <<<

"... EXCELLENT ..."

Publisher's Weekly

"... A MUST-READ ..."

Russell Weiner, Chief Marketing Officer, Domino's Pizza, Inc.

"... WITTY, INSIGHTFUL, DYNAMIC AND HIGHLY INSPIRING ..."

Alison Moore, Vice President, Brand Strategy & Digital Platforms, HBO

"... TRULY A MUST-READ FOR MARKETERS WHO NEED TO CUT THROUGH THE CLUTTER ..."

Connor Brady, Chief Creative Officer, Organic, Inc.

"... REQUIRED READING FOR THE DIGITAL AGE ..."

Peter Cole, Technology Director, RGA

 >>> IN STORES NOW - LEARN MORE (AND ORDER YOUR COPY) - HERE <<<

-----------------------------------------------------------------------