Theoretical review of the advertising agency in the digital culture

Abstract

Tim Bourne (2014) mentions a series of changes in the advertising market that range from the emergence of new competitors, new opportunities and communication priorities to changes in sales and distribution. In this current scenario, technology plays a pervasive role and acts like an engine able to boost innovations and new developments. The aim of this article is to highlight the key aspects in the transformation of the advertising industry and advertising agency as a result of the effects of digitization. To this end, following a review of the works published in Spanish and international scientific journals, this paper describes the main characteristics of the advertising communication in digital culture and how this recent media environment has created new ways of understanding communication and advertising creativity. Furthermore, the main transformations that advertising agencies must accomplish to continue fulfilling their role within the digital environment are emphasized. Finally, although there are few studies that investigate the changes that have occurred in the process of creative work within agencies (Sasser, Scott and Kilgour, 2013), some characteristics of the agencies of the future are outlined.