Innovation Interactive Unit Buys i33 Communications
360i, a digital ad agency owned by Innovation Interactive, acquired another creative agency with a similar name, i33 Communications. i360's clients include NBC, Bravo and H&R Block. i33 is a 10-year-old, 40-employee digital advertising shop with offices in New York and Chicago. Clients include Adidas, PBS and Marvel Entertainment. Terms were not disclosed.
360i CEO Bryan Wiener said he bought i33 primariy for its programmers who specialize in creating online games, widgets and applications for social networks. "Having developers is as important as having designers," he said. "The agency of the past was 90% artists. The one of the future is more balanced between artists and developers."
these are words to live by.
sadly, many agencies are either entirely account or creative-driven and view technologists as maids, gardeners or other hired help.
i can cite examples of organizations i know of that have a dozen account people for a client's account and perhaps only 1-2 developers or technologists that span dozens of large and small projects. all chiefs and no indians is not good for business.
this isn't 1995-1996 anymore. most websites aren't static and you can only can pull the wool over your client's eyes for so long.
today's clients expect ROI for their fees and sites that deliver on the promise.