Consumers want value, in exchange for attention, say head MINDSHARE executives. Macleay College’s advertising students recently visited their offices in North Sydney to hear from the leaders of their Co-Creation department, Sam Turley and Adam Ross.

“Attention is one of the scarcest resources in the world today,” says Turley. “The bullshit detectors are on high alert: Consumers want authenticity and transparency. People are demanding authentic experiences from brands.”

Co-Creation is the creative division of MINDSHARE dedicated to pushing the boundaries of expectation and creativity. Ross and Turley say getting past the norm is the only way to constantly find lateral and creative solutions to nagging business problems in a society where creativity is increasingly more important.

“Everything in the world is a potential touch-point, says Ross. “It is important to be uncomfortable. This is where true innovation comes from. Things that are new are often uncomfortable.”

Media agencies are enjoying a change of scenery within the Advertising landscape. Where once they were the last link in the chain, now their departments are delivering holistic campaign solutions to businesses eager to explore an array of non-traditional options.

“The most important skills for leaders in the future are creativity and adaptability,” says Ross. “Data cannot alone save the world. It needs a creative brain to interpret it. But data liberates creativity.”

C0-Creation have noticed marketers shifting investment from paid to owned media, such as online social platforms and a growing trend in the media industry of employees with a diverse range of skills. “It’s important to ask smarter questions,” says Ross. “Think no-line. There is no more line. Think like consumers. You never fail as long as you learn something.”

By advertising student, Cassandra Sabin