We all know by now there's limited value in posting a standard length TV ad on the Internet.
Alternatively, you can go long and tell a worthwhile story, or you can go short – grab attention by the throat, make your point and leave it be.
There are plenty of brands who include this short-form content in their marketing plans, and plenty of agencies who can make it for them. But Paul Falla (right) and Friso Schoone are launching the first, they say, specialist agency on 28 September with offices in Amsterdam and Shanghai.
Five Seconds will tap into freelancer networks to produce the work. Check out for examples of (other's) short-form work – and to experience that weird, hypnotic state that comes from staring at stack of repetitive moving images (PSA: do not click that link if you are on acid).
We particularly like the Audi ad (not by Five Seconds) that does its thing before the option to skip the ad appears.
Below, Falla explains what it was like working for Dave Trott back in the day, how he thinks the agency landscape will change, and what his guilty secret is. And of course, he's created a couple of five second videos to accompany his answers.
1. What three things got you to the position you’re in today?
Hard work. At the beginning of my career I often worked days without sleeping and during holidays. It’s still not uncommon that I work till 11pm or on the weekends. And the best part is that 27 years later I still enjoy it.
Knowing what I want. Sounds simple, but most people don’t. I dreamed of working at agencies like Saatchi & Saatchi and Lowe in London. And I did. I wanted to be a creative director, work abroad (Amsterdam, Stockholm, Shanghai) and have my own agency (Frank). Done all that. Now I want to make work for Five Seconds in the UK, Europe, US and China.
Determination. Like everybody I’ve had dark days. I have been fired six times, made redundant, had my own company go bankrupt. All good reasons to be depressed and give up, but that doesn’t get you anywhere. Best just to accept that bad things happen, learn from them, find something new and better to do.
2. Who has had the biggest influence on your career?
Dave Trott. I worked for his agency, Gold Greenlees Trott in the '80s. He was a brilliant creative director, but also terrifying. Each creative had a board with his name on.
On the board in red, projects they were working on; projects in blue, work Dave had approved; black, work the client had approved. The boards were on the wall. The best creatives' boards on the right. Least good on the left.
The placing of the boards would often change from week to week. No blue and black, get the sack. Worst was if Dave went on holiday. When he came back he would fire at least two teams… But most importantly, the work was brilliant and won loads of awards.
3. How do you see agencies changing in the next three years?
Lots more small, specialized agencies. Too many agencies tell the client they can do everything. An agency can do a lot, but a specialist will always do it better, faster and cheaper. Clients are rightly very critical. They want the best but also for the best price possible.
4. What’s your online distraction of choice?
Okay. Please don’t tell anyone. Candy Crush Soda. I’m on level 497.
5. What is the best tech innovation in the past year that's had an impact on the world of marketing?
This is a tough question. I recently read that counting marketing technologies is like counting stars in the sky. The is now a thing in itself. That everything is connected means the speed of life is even faster.
Everything can be tailor-made to the internet of me. This of course means that products and services can be more and more tailor-made to the consumer.
So my answer is that it’s not just about one tech , it’s all of them together.
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