In an interview with Platinum Seed's Managing Director - Bradley Elliott, he unpacks the creative process, offering and industry trends.
What does the agency offer?
Bradley Elliott: Websites and microsites, content development, platforms and services, mobile platforms and apps, innovation and prototyping, social and eCRM, retail and OOH and social media management.
What is the creative process of the agency?
Bradley Elliott: The core of our approach always stems from and around strategy. We are not slaves to process. Based on the requirements of the work being done and what is being made, we adapt our process accordingly.
A typical work journey:
Discover:
We begin by getting to understand the requirements, objectives, the problem at hand and human behaviour. We then identify insights and look for opportunities that are supported by research as well as the possibilities in the future.
Ideate:
We define an approach and conceptualise ideas for execution. We look at the problem through the lens of strategy, design and technology and begin forming an overarching plan and concept that guides us in creating a coherent experience that provides value to consumers.
Execute:
With a plan in place we bring together design, technology and content creation to make something tangible that people will interact with. We are continuously testing ideas and evolving them, while maintaining a high standard of execution across disciplines.
Learn:
Our work is never really done. People change, technology changes and companies change. This is why we are continuously analysing, optimising, and refining. With new information and insights we move back to ideation and continue this process again and again.
List some of the key learning in your industry:
Bradley Elliott: The local industry has seen rapid growth, which always results in the quality of work being forfeited. We are in an industry that is growing at over 100% year on year, yet skillsets are growing much slower, resulting in increased competition for decent resources, as well as a lack thereof. All too often it seems as though local work is trying to copy or mirror international work, as opposed to trying to solve a local problem or cater to a local need. There has been a shift though and South African agencies are starting to do some really good work.
What's next for Platinum Seed?
Bradley Elliott: We're extremely focused on incubating a number of products that we feel will add value to our current client base. This includes the launch of most recent product, Continuon, which aims to integrate social media and CRM into one consolidated community. Over and above this, we hope we can carry on pushing ourselves and the boundaries to deliver the best work possible.
Brands and companies are no longer thinking integrated - digital is here to stay and having a 'channelled' approach is not viable as technology is in every touch point of our lives. We feel we will see a shift in 2015/2016 from "Big Data" to Smart Data, that is, using all the connections, engagements and insights we've gathered over the years, in a more intelligent manner, to form real relationships with consumers. We hope to showcase this through our silver sponsorship of the IMC Conferences in Durban, Cape Town and Johannesburg. With the remarkable synergy between us and the IMC Conferences, this partnership was inevitable.
Last words?
Be brave. Stay inspired. Keep pushing.
For more information, visit imcconference.com or call (021) 180 4111.
Upcoming conference dates:
Cape Town Dates: 3 - 4 August 2015
Johannesburg Dates: 2 - 3 November 2015
