VIEWPOINT: Coke move raises myriad questions

<p>The appointment of Interpublic Group (IPG) to handle Coca-Cola's </p><p>global brand architecture raises more questions than it answers. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Ostensibly, it throws into doubt its new "Think local, act local </p><p>strategy". </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>However, when seen in the light that Coca-Cola wants to avoid a </p><p>mish-mash of unrelated strategies and executions among the hundreds of </p><p>markets of the world it operates in, the move makes perfect sense. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The last thing any brand needs, especially in today's highly-competitive </p><p>world, is a menagerie of imagery and core values that would serve to </p><p>confuse more than anything else. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>But the important point to note is that advertising agencies are no </p><p>longer simply looked upon as the creator of ads but also as brand </p><p>stewards. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>For agencies, assignments to only create the brand architecture without </p><p>having to create any of the traditional advertising work whatsoever </p><p>represents the catching on of a new trend which appeared for the first </p><p>time several years ago in North America. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>It underlines the point that we are living in an ever-changing world; </p><p>where the rules seem to be constantly rewritten. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>However, the appointment of IPG raises some interesting questions. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Will local agencies have to report to the IPG network? </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>How will non-IPG agencies feel having to report to the IPG network? </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Can IPG actually create a brand architecture that can be translated to </p><p>suit local market conditions, not just on a regional level but </p><p>worldwide? </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>These are difficult questions to answer. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>But if D'Arcy's worldwide president and CEO John Farrell is right, many </p><p>of these types of questions have already been answered in North America, </p><p>because whatever the questions, agencies have to find ways around all </p><p>obstacles when appointed to do a task. Ultimately, their job is to build </p><p>brands and drive sales for their clients. </p><p><BR><BR> </p>