in the ghetto - part 17
So, according to this statement by Forrester, 2013 is the year when we will finally see 'digital' is set to lose its prefix and just be referred to as 'marketing' as 'all marketers’ output will become 'inherently digital' over the coming months.
I've complained about the existence of the digital ghetto, and the subservient self-commodification by the digerati, often enough in the past so would, of course, welcome this trend.
In a twitter discussion Jason Moriber informed me that companies and agencies he is dealing with (presumably in his 'hood, NY/USA) are indeed dropping the 'digital' from departments and job titles.
As an analogy/example of why this is important consider please the beginning of this interview that one Steven Morrisey conducted with the great Joni Mitchell back in 1996 (courtesy of Dangerous Minds).
Morrissey: Do they still refer to you as a female songwriter?...it's become such a ludicrous title because to be called a female songwriter....
Joni: ...It implies limitations.
Morrissey: Well, it implies that it's not a 'real' songwriter.
Joni: Yeah.
Morrissey: I mean, you couldn't imagine, for instance, saying Paul McCartney's a great 'male' songwriter.'
Yep.
I wrote the following in July 2011 but had been wrestling with the conundrum for some considerable time until that point.
When is a producer not a producer?
When is a planner not a planner?
When is an art director not an art director?
When they are a digital producer/planner/art director, of course.
My irk is that 'the digital' is invariably 'other'.
By labelling it digital it's somehow SEPARATE from 'proper' planning or 'proper' creative.
It becomes secondary by it's otherness.
It's down the totem pole.
It's the little brother or sister.
The add-on after the real stuff.
The nice-to-have.
'...Lets get the basics right first then do some digital...'
This is not a pop at the traditionalists per se.
It's the digitalists that are as much the problem, by revelling in their otherness.
My fellow digerati, honestly, until we figure this out we'll always be in the ghetto.
And don't even get me started on this subsequent question that his Mozz-ness poses further into the interview...
Morrissey: Don't you find that if your music...aims towards being intellectual, that you have to explain yourself repeatedly and in much more depth than anybody who makes nonsensical, throw-away, useless music?
