File this one under the “cobbler’s son has no shoes” category. Many of the industry’s top advertising agencies, which presumably are helping usher their clients into the mobile era, neglect to put the same care into their own digital presences.
Digiday examined the websites of 50 significant agencies from an iPhone, and found 27 of them (54 percent) simply served up the desktop versions of their sites, even though many have mobile services or have in-house mobile practices. Examples include 360i, AKQA, Huge, TBWA, Rosetta, KBS+P, and Tribal DDB. AKQA’s site, for example, is virtually impossible to navigate from a mobile device owing to the size of the text and navigation buttons. Saatchi & Saatchi’s site is built only in Flash and doesn’t even load. Among the sites that did have mobile-specific content, some were extremely basic, while others provided only contact information.
This is a continuation of an earlier trend of agencies having horrible Web experiences of their own, even as they sold Web design and development services to clients. Over the last few years, agencies have improved their desktop sites, which were often nearly unusable case studies in “flashturbation.”
The good news is agencies aren’t behind their clients. Last week, Digiday found that many major brands don’t provide mobile-specific sites either. And not all agencies had sub-par offerings. Razorfish’s mobile site, for example, is simple yet thorough, featuring examples of its work alongside its social activity and contact details.
It’s important to note, though, that the vast majority of desktop Websites do now render well on smartphones, even if they’re not tailored for those devices. That said, they’re often difficult to navigate and to read because of the smaller screens found on iPhones and the like.
|
Agency
|
Smartphone-specific Website or Content? |
|---|---|
| R/GA |
Y
|
| Digitas |
Y
|
| AKQA |
N
|
| Huge |
N
|
| Crispin Porter Bogusky |
Y
|
| TBWA |
N
|
| McGarry Bowen |
Y
|
| 72 & Sunny |
Y
|
| Deutsch |
Y
|
| Mullen |
Y
|
| Wieden + Kennedy |
Y
|
| BBH |
Y
|
| JWT |
N
|
| Droga5 |
Y
|
| Razorfish |
Y
|
| BBDO |
N
|
| Grey |
N
|
| Arnold |
N
|
| Carrot Creative |
N
|
| Big Fuel |
N
|
| DDB |
Y
|
| Anomaly |
N
|
| Leo Burnett |
Y
|
| Saatchi & Saatchi |
N
|
| Publicis Modem |
Y
|
| Tribal DDB |
N
|
| Strawberry Frog |
N
|
| Taxi |
Y
|
| Young & Rubicam |
N
|
| Evolution Bureau |
N
|
| Mr. Youth |
Y
|
| 360i |
N
|
| iCrossing |
Y
|
| Lbi |
N
|
| Draftfcb |
Y
|
| Ogilvy |
N
|
| KBSP |
N
|
| VML |
Y
|
| Organic |
N
|
| Euro RSCG |
Y
|
| Rapp |
N
|
| McCann |
N
|
| SapientNitro |
Y
|
| OMD |
N
|
| Rosetta |
N
|
| Syrup |
N
|
| Big Spaceship |
Y
|
| Breakfast |
N
|
| First Born |
Y
|
| Victors & Spoils |
N
|
-
Newsletter publishers say they continue to see uptick in revenue despite advertising slowdown
At a time when larger media companies are feeling the pressure of the economic downturn and advertising slowdown, newsletter businesses continue to be in a period of revenue growth.
-
TikTok’s CEO faces bipartisan skepticism in first Congressional hearing on security concerns
The hearing comes amid calls to remove TikTok from government devices and in some cases even ban it entirely.
-
Media Briefing: What to expect at the Digiday Publishing Summit
As DPS draws nearer, top pain points for publishers are coming to light.
-
SponsoredHow advertisers are leveraging omnichannel attribution and measurement to power CTV
Sponsored by MNTN Connected TV advertising has joined and expanded the larger ecosystem of campaigns that advertisers deploy. As such, omnichannel marketing strategies now encompass television and mobile devices, tablets and other screens such as out-of-home. And as customers engage across these different touchpoints, brands are seeking and moving their measurement and analytics efforts to […]
-
New app launches through Apple hoping to win with ‘zero-party data’ when others haven’t
Caden's new app lets users connect data from their Uber, Amazon, Netflix and other accounts in exchange for money. Will it take off?
-
‘The next level for us’: The New York Times eyes better retention for games in subscription drive
The games division is focusing on finding new ways to mine the inherent competitive nature of games like encouraging people to play multiple games in a single session or through new achievements and rewards for progression.
