Dialogue with Aki Spicer

AlixCompany Dialogue Aki Spicer

Recorded Dialogue is 36 minutes

I’m thrilled to share with you the first Alix Co. Consulting Dialogue with Aki Spicer, Director of Digital Strategy at Fallon in Minneapolis.

About a month ago, Aki conducted a workshop at VCU’s Brandcenter where he presented ‘The Engagement Opportunity‘. The presentation calls out the liminal space, labels the value of digital planners, and provides a POV on implications and next steps with some proprietary tools. The topic is worth talking about and I hope that you all will join me as we Dialogue with the intent to share and inspire.

The recorded Dialogue shares Aki’s POV on the following:

1. Would you say that we are aiming to socialize technology? What I mean by ‘socialize’ is the attainment of shared norms, customs, and values in a cultural continuity context. [An interesting thought in socializing technology through grounded creativity given historically we’ve used technology to ground creativity.]

2. You mention in ‘The New Engagement Opportunity’ presentation, “Whatever the device or channel it is always about leveraging the human motivation.” I wonder, though, are human motivations shifting because of technology? Can you talk a bit about any sense (or sight) of shifting values given new experiences granted by technology? What implications does this have as we try to creativity ground technology?

3. I see today’s digital space as both a channel (medium) and a platform. Where, Best Buy’s TWELPFORCE uses twitter as a medium, and Foursquare or Groupon use attributes of digital as the platform. Is this traditional ad agency thinking? How are you all defining the utility of digital? Or, are you defining it?

4. Your presentation includes an excellent list of how digital strategists are bringing grounded creativity to technology. Done well, what does grounded creativity plus technology look like? For ROI? (better understanding of engagement/other metrics?) For society? (better value laden connections?)

5. There has been a lot of talk about the new creative team and what the new structure will evolve to look like. If you were tasked with creating today’s creative shop, what would it look like? Why this structure? What would you call it? [Perhaps an explanation of the ‘T’ model in your presentation.]