Is Steve Harty out of touch? Says he does not believe in search
Open Letter to Steve Harty,
When all you have is a hammer, everything starts to look like a nail.
Let’s face it, Steve.. you are a traditional media guy.. you don’t understand search.
We found your wonderful article dismissing search as a non-targeted tool. We must stress that the problem isn’t with search being a non-targeted.. the problem is that your firm doesn’t know how to use it. It’s like giving a sniper rifle to an amateur, then having the amateur say the rifle is broken because he can’t hit the target.
It isn’t the sniper rifle Steve Harty, the problem is the one who is buying the search terms. To state something so obscenely wrong will scare clients. In 2008 it’s standard practice to Google a potential partners name… Google luck with that.
You know the funny thing? You stated “We’re not convinced that the people we are marketing to are using that as a channel” … We hope not… because that standard practice search will yield results of what the industry felt of your opinion, and that’s just the organic side.
It could be a branding tool.. it could be an awareness tool… and if you target it right.. it’s a very targeted campaign. But you have the have to skill set within your company to do it right.
“We’re not convinced that the people we are marketing to are using that as a channel,” said Steve Harty, chairman of Publicis Groupe-backed Bartle Bogle Hegarty in New York. “We have a more targeted strategy than, ‘We’re open for business.’ Search is kind of indiscriminate in a way.” Indeed, Bedecarré doesn’t use search as a new business tool. “We’re looking for a few large clients, not lots of lead generation,” he said. Via Adweek Also hatip to Agency Spy for finding this gem
Funny thing is Steve.. I would do some quick research… some of YOUR clients (you know the ones that you said don’t use Google) hired SEO, SMO and SEM firms to pick up your firms slack. That’s revenue you should of had if you know what the heck you were talking about.
You opinions on search are the reason our firm has been growing so fast. Keep up the good work.
