Twelve months on from Sadoun’s explosive start as CEO it is abundantly clear that most, if not all, of Publicis’ extravagant claims are little more than the usual advertising agency bullshit.

While there was much talk about the new “agile” structure of Publicis, the reality is the same old functional model remains in place. I grow increasingly suspicious of any marketer who trumpets agility as a goal worthy of their attention. It’s become a cliché of the highest order to drop agility into pretty much everything. I really can’t see the attraction.

Brands need discipline. They need strategy. They need focus. They need to deliver. What they don’t need is a bunch of mercurial horseshit about being agile, which – let’s be honest – essentially means they bin the strategy and head in whatever direction the wind happens to be blowing at that moment.

Most marketers need less agility, not more. They need to stick to the fucking plan. Or, in most cases, actually spend time building a plan to stick to. The fact that Publicis was trying to introduce more agility into the rotating roller disco of agency operations speaks volumes about the strategic merit of Sadoun’s new direction and the practicality of his bold approach.

And there was even more room for disappointment late last month when Publicis finally presented Marcel in all its artificially intelligent glory. I am no expert in technology or advanced programming, but I can smell a donkey from three hundred yards. The amazing new Marcel, which was going to revolutionise the world of work, break down the barriers to creativity and solve the human and cultural shift turns out to be little more than LinkedIn with a bit of search and email capability.

Sourced through Scoop.it from: www.marketingweek.com