jeff - great post as always. the model of an ad agency as the creative core of a brand is what is changing dramatically. ask yourself - what is the last thing you learned about first through advertising? exactly - nothing. gone are the days of ad-centric branding. now its all about getting the fire started with digital, social, PR and other things that get conversations going. advertising can help fan the flames + help them grow, but its not the core that a brand's communications are built around anymore. so why would a brand - especially a new one - hire an ad agency to create their brand story if advertising is no longer the way that people learn about brands? there will always be a need for great creative minds + ideas in branding. they just won't be from ad agencies. www.launchcontrolgroup.com