why AKQA can't leave me alone...

Having spent a long time in the traditional (how weird is that) digital industry, making websites, creating online games, developing portals and winning quite a few awards, I have been used to the Elephant in the room that was AKQA (www.akqa.com). I respect them for their creativity and I like the fact that, despite their size, I hear very few complaints from clients about their 'corporation-like-attitude'. There is also no denying that it has been one of the genuine success stories of the web-development market.

However... now I have moved over to the broadcast side they seem to be following me around. I read an article yesterday defining pretty much my thinking on the broadcast market over the next 3 years, well written, insightful and pithy; really good work, but who appears at the bottom of the page as their opening reference to this new age in broadcast commissioning and 360 degree multi-platform approach - none other than AKQA. what!?! do me a favour... their new broadcast team is 12 people, if it came down to it we would have those guys out-numbered 10-1 in a dark street in soho (and it may come to this). In addition they have developed small pieces of viral and 1 film from what I can see, a shoe-in for the 360 degree commissioning model this does not make.

Now, I appreciate them giving a voice to the emerging market, but to be honest they don't meet the citeria in my eyes, they are a digital agency and not set-up to produce the kind of on-going online broadcast material that should appeal to brands over the coming months and years (it has to be said, something I didn't appreciate myself until 4 weeks ago). A company like etv (www.etv.tv) is much better placed for 3 reasons, we have contacts throughout the industry, something you just can't buy, we know how to deliver within the fast-paced broadcast environment to provide proper ROI and we have great in-house design and build talent to ensure this content is pushed out in the right way.

Someone wiser than me once said "you can't teach experience", never has this been more true.