Exibit A – The Old Buy the New. In a recent Online Media Daily article “Traditional Agencies Courting Web Shops” by Wendy Davis, she points out how the purchase of Moxie by Zenith Media marks the third time this summer that a traditional shop snagged an interactive agency. I know this has been going on since the dotcom era, but now more and more agencies are catching on to the inevitable. Even they now have to admit – things are changing! As companies shift more and more of their budgets to online, and expect their AOR to offer online capabilities, the traditional agency needs to catch up quickly. Buying an already established interactive agency is the easiest way to get there.

What happened to the theory that the Internet was just a fad? It’s unfortunate that this passé comment is still lingering around, but I’m sure those that thought that are now the first to admit that it’s here to stay. The Internet has evolved so drastically over the past decade that everyone keeps looking to the future. You may hear, “Oh, just wait another five years and you’ll see”. Some call it Web 2.0. If this is Web 2.0, what will Web 5.0 be like? That’s my point. Everyone is so focused on the past and the future that the present is going unnoticed. Ad spending just keeps going up, and consumer-controlled devices keep increasing as well. The truth of the matter is that the future is now. Look around at the new web, the new marketing economy, it’s glorious.

This evidence shines brightly on the path that lies ahead for the Internet. This is the first in a three-part Blog series that will build a case for The New Marketing Economy. Check back soon for Exibit B as the plot thickens.