Hill+Knowlton Strategies has made it official: digital is the backbone, not an add-on, to all communications strategies.
The WPP unit made it official yesterday with its release, "Hill+Knowlton US Transforms Digital Structure for a Post-Digital World."
The announcement dealt with the full integration of H+K Digital into all of its practices. "The move reflects a belief that market sophistication has reached a point at which digital -- rather than standing alone-needs to be part of a firm's core offering," says the release.
Members of the digital team have joined either practices or regional offices. Allison Kuaupe, former head of digital in Austin, now runs that office. Thom Blim, partner at H+K's SJR digitial acquisition, will now serve as creative production director for H+K US.
H+K has simply acknowledged what has been going on for the last few years. I've been puzzled when firms boast about their digital capabilities during a period in which pre-teenagers are pretty skilled at navigating the wonderful world of the web and social media. Any client expects his or her potential shop to possess digital savvy. Firms that need to brag about digital strengths are suspect.
What are they trying to mask?
In formalizing the post-digital world, Mike Coates , CEO of H+K, made a clever connection with the former TV departments at agencies.
He said: "Agency TV departments form the 50s became integrated as the medium transitioned from a specialty to a core storytelling channel, and we're at that inflection point now in our industry with digital. Our firm is transforming for a post-digital world, knowing that every individual in an agency needs to be digitally fluent."
Congratulations H+K. Digital is dead. Long live digital.
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