Not too very far from where I sit, the 4A’s conference is coming to a close. It’s a very warm day in Scottsdale, and many agency heads are probably steaming –after taking in Euro RSCG Ron Berger’s address.

But we have to take that in the context of the huge asteroid, the Net, heading in the direction of the agency world. Consider some of the topics of the conference:

"The agency’s role in marketing accountability" and
"Kick ass creative in the digital world" or
"compensation models" or
"How and why the ad agency business model must change."

Interestingly, this management conference (for CEO’s) is titled "ROI: Return on ideas. Return on Involvement. Return on Investment."

Tony Hopp, the incoming chair bemoaned negativity always seemed to ooze out of advertising conferences — a la the ‘death of the 30 second commercial.’ I suppose he was not-so subtly telling outgoing chair that trashing Martin Sorell and the others in the business was not the kind of thing the industry wanted to be known for. "Are we as an industry too self absorbed?" he asked rhetorically.

I hope Hopp’s reign brings in a new ROI: is a return on inspiration, as agencies struggle with change.