The always thought-provoking Karen McGrane argued recently why "Web ads suck", She cites a litany of usual suspects: lack of investment compared to other channels, questionable measurement, size and technical constraints and, most interestingly from my perspective, the fact that advertising should be "about more than awareness". As a career PR professional, this last point caught my attention - particularly her citation of Bob Greenberg of R/GA in Art & Commerce: Funnel Clouding:

... Real engagement requires entirely new teams of people—like information architects, data analysts and an army of technologists of various stripes. The traditional teams found at agencies simply do not possess the skill sets needed to tackle areas that are deeper inside the funnel, where purchase decisions increasingly take place.

She complements this by suggesting:

You get flashy, glossy microsites because you’re dealing with an industry of advertisers and publishers that haven’t had a chance to develop and assimilate a new set of values.

While we may be coming at this from slightly different tangents, the point itself is valid. As consumer expectations change with respect to interaction, transparency, and as they look for ways to engage more meaningfully with brands, new types of expertise will be required at the table - to drive forward the opportunities as well as to manage the risks. Moreover, and where this debate seems to end at the purchase decision, increasingly brands must now consider what happens post-purchase - to encourage evangelism, to address issues, to build community and loyalty, and to deliver a "sustained" brand experience.

If advertisers can't do it. Who will?

A month or two back I thought that we had made a big mistake and, having committed to Cannes Lions, our team would be standing on a deserted Croisette, with the mistral blowing the tumbleweed. Turns out that rumours of Cannes' demise have proved well premature. Entries and delegates may be down from last year but at more than 22,000 and 7,000 respectively, it's still going to be ‘the Oscars' of the marketing world.

But there's no doubt that agencies will be attending for less time, inviting fewer clients and spending less - less obviously. Following the general consumer trend in the West it will be a matter of public hairshirt, private consumption.

Cheap yacht rental anyone?