Josh Dilworth

At Jones-Dilworth we talk a lot about what our (admittedly evolving) concept of the “agency of the future” really means.

From some as-yet-unpublished draft copy for our website, which I promise will go live someday:

We think that the agency of the future is laser-focused on a specific business opportunity and market segment, one in which it can be truly expert. We think that the agency of the future chooses clients very carefully, based on ethical factors as much as financial ones. We think that the agency of the future is data-driven, and analytical to the core.

We think that the agency of the future possesses wholly new skill sets, marked by an interdisciplinary approach and an unusually intellectual working environment. We think that the agency of the future is fundamentally part of the communities with which its clients wish to communicate.

We think that the agency of the future is noticeably absent the jargon and posturing you’ve come to expect from marketing-kind.

We think that the agency of the future is far more show than tell. We think that the agency of the future is relationship-based and people-driven. The agency of the future is definitely not scalable.

Over time, we’ll see about the rest, and we’ll continue to report back on how the adventure is proceeding. Learn the rules in order to forget them. Rinse and repeat.

One tangible example of how these cool-sounding but completely untethered concepts actually implement operationally is the development of Totem, our very first software product, which we hope that you all will, in due time, use (at least, the marketers and PR folk among you).

I’m not going to say any more just yet about the project itself — we’re still a few weeks away from getting the alpha out the door. But I’m very proud of the fact that we’ve even gotten this far, and I think it’s a testament to the model we’re pursuing. I think that the agency of the future must actively participate in the creation of new technologies, for three reasons:

1. It keeps us sharp, and makes us practice what we preach (we are treating Totem like any other client)
2. It gives us a fundamentally more real understanding of our clients’ shoes, and their challenges (big and small, near and long term)
3. It holds the promise of repeatable, technology-driven revenue (a diverse stream, we think, is key to both longevity and fidelity of service)

I would love it if you would take the time to check out our very rough splash page here — it doesn’t even have a header/title, and at least a few things will change before we start taking invites. 

Feedback is very, very appreciated. 

More to come!

UPDATE: To be clear, I’m just looking for visual/vibe feedback — all the copy is placeholder.