Colvin foresees ICM's future in advertising By Kathy Tyre

BEVERLY HILLS, CALIF.--Bob Colvin, who replaces Stephen Carbone as executive vp/worldwide commercial division, International Creative Management, said ICM

ICM has held discussions with a number of ad execs who feel they can benefit from such an alliance. But they worry that the relationship would reflect badly on their image. “It’s a delicate situation,” explained Colvin, the former head of ICM’s West Coast commercial division, in the only interview ICM has given concerning its endeavors in this area. “Agencies want to make sure the client understands that if the agency is working with ICM, it’s not because they’re weak, it’s because they’re smart.”
Colvin said ICM has had discussions with virtually every major ad agency, and executives of several East Coast shops have met with ICM president/ceo Jeff Berg, indicating the seriousness of the talks. Some marketers have even made contact with the company directly, but no deals have been completed.
As channels proliferate or multiply, though, the pressure is increasing for ICM and similar firms to find a bigger niche in the ad community, Colvin said. “Our talent gets paid by residuals and we have to figure out how to maximize the replays of the products they’re involved with. We have to understand how new technology will be used in the future.”
Colvin envisions that all homes will be interactive as soon as five years from now, and, with entire programs devoted to individual products, marketers who sell in this medium will need new messages. “Decisions will be made in a second,” Colvin said. “So the impressions that motivate you have to be different than they are now.”
Copyright Adweek L.P. (1993)