Q&A with Andrew Keyes - one of the original founders of AIMS

This is our first in a series of interviews with the original founders of AIMS. Andrew Keyes is President of Armantus Inc.
Armantus is a full-service, award-winning interactive agency, founded in 1997. Providing strategic web marketing consulting and support, online advertising media and creative, and email services, Armantus has been serving a diverse range of clients in both the private and public sector.

Q: When you started AIMS all those years ago (10 to be exact) did you think about what the industry might look like in 5 or 10 years? How does it compare?

A: I generally don't try to project much further than 5 years ahead - especially in this industry where it had been said that an Internet year is 3 months. Having said that, much of what's happened over the last 10 years has unfolded as many of us had predicted. Consumers are becoming increasingly demanding, and are able to make far more informed purchasing decisions. As consumers, publishers, advertisers, and parents, we are all adjusting to the new digital reality in which content is far more accessible. While this reality is empowering, it also introduces significant new risks.

10 years ago a common question I heard was "Is the Internet the next HAM Radio?" Well, I think it's now safe to say that it isn't.Today, unlike 10 years ago, there is an absolute abundance of online content. Advertisers can no longer "just show up" and expect to be successful.

Q: What has been the biggest surprise over the last 10 years?

A: 10 years ago many of us were unsure how the Internet would hold up to the strain of all this growth. Back then connections were painfully slow to begin with, and there were not all that many users online. Today the numbers are staggering, the bandwidth has increased, and the content is much richer. It really is a marvel that the whole thing hasn't come crashing down, and a testament to the technology community for pulling this off.

The other area that's surprised me is the relatively slow pace of media convergence. Somehow I had expected to see much more interactive TV coming on stream - something beyond "So go to the website now, and blah, blah, ..."

Q: What company do you think is doing a really great job at 'getting' the social media landscape?

A: Companies have to be extremely careful when getting involved with any social media. By their very nature blogs, discussion groups, and social networks thrive on the independent spirit. Depending on how you judge "getting it", the most successful examples are those that do the best job of staying out of the way and simply observing. Low key should be the approach and perhaps that's why a corporate name in that area doesn't jump out at me.

Q: What do you think is the biggest challenge facing the industry at the moment?

A: The challenge for the advertising and marketing industry online will increasing be to "cut through" - whether that means improving your media placement prowess, or developing that killer piece of creative, or simply throwing a ton of money at the challenge. And I suppose that means as an industry we've matured - we're now in the same boat as all the other traditional media.