Does the future belong to Freelancers?

Welcome to the 'Freelance Economy' - the world's new economy...

HERE'S BOTH AN UPDATE AND A FLASHBACK...
And when it comes to the Advertising Industry, my readers (yes... those brave, intellectually tenacious and precious few souls who somehow manage to glean substance from my rambling) may recall a few - and at that point in time, borderline blasphemous - blog posts from early 2010.

17 Jan 2010 - What if you don't need an Ad Agency to do Advertising?

25 Mar 2010 - Freelancing in the plug-and-play economy

For an Ad Agency, a plug-and-play model has its advantages...
1. It takes domain experts to create a truly effective marketing exercise for a specific medium
2. There is a plethora of media available today - e.g. Print, TV, Direct Marketing, Internet, Public Relations / Advocacy, Social Media or Digital Networks Marketing, etc.
3. It is unviable for an Ad Agency to retain experts in every domain

For the Advertiser, the pressure to opt for a flexible plug-and-play model come from various corporate levels...
1. The Board and the CFO want cost-reduction
2. The CEO and the CMO want expertise, effectiveness and measurability
3. The Sales Team and Dealers want high visibility, high impact and rapid tactical responsiveness (quick turnaround)

The plug-and-play model has its charms for the Creative-types too...
1. Without hierarchy, talent and skill can quickly command it's deserved price (and respect)
2. Talent and passion can be developed into specialisations - viz. writing, photography, illustration, digital animation, etc.
3. Assignments can be chosen based on how well they align to talent, skill and passion... Meaning, you can decide you'll never do another corporate newsletter again as long as you live unless the price is right