North Leads the Way: Pioneering the Creative Future with IX Embedded Beta Test
Rebecca Armstrong, CEO North
As you likely know if you follow us at all, we are now in development of (and beta testing) a new service we’re calling “IX Embedded.” It moves the core of our idea generating platform directly into an agency’s creative environment. Rebecca Armstrong, CEO of Portland, Oregon, agency North, is leading her creative agency to innovative places. She’s agreed to beta test IX Embedded. I asked her why. Here’s what she had to say.
In rebecca’s words…
“Clearly there's been a seismic shift in how agencies are compensated - clients are less interested in "full-service", retainer-based relationships and more interested in selective, project-based "pick and mix" approaches, which rely on agencies for ideas rather than ongoing execution.
North has been at the forefront of "productization", which is where Ideasicle's IX Embedded comes in. It will allow us to offer highly customizable, transparently collaborative idea-generation projects.
What's not to love?”
Idea Lemonade stand
I am personally intrigued by Rebecca’s mention of “productization” in the agency business. She’s totally right—clients are looking for quick hits more than long-term relationships—and North is wise to move in that direction. Here’s North’s website with a menu of product offerings. I have never seen anything like it.
But you might think, “Ideas as a project? Isn’t that what we do every day as an advertising agency?” And you’d be right. Agencies come up with ideas all the time. But until now, their ideas were just the first step before diving into execution, where agencies make most of their money.
Let’s pause on that. Agencies, who all thrive on ideas, earn most of their revenue NOT from the ideas, but from executing them. That’s where the bulk of the hours are. But IX Embedded is set to offer a new revenue opportunity. To Rebecca’s point, it will let agencies sell ideas as the final product—no execution needed (necessarily). It’ll be like an idea lemonade stand.
BUT IT’S MORE THAN NEW REVENUE STREAMS.
One, IX Embedded is about a fresh, virtual way to generate ideas with your internal agency teams, especially with many likely working remotely. North will be able to upload all their employees and top freelancers onto the platform, which will make it quick and easy to assemble ideation teams. They’ll still have access to the Ideasicle Experts when they need heavy weights (North has been a customer of IX Original for two years), but will now be able to build their own proprietary pool of experts. It’s like a super team.
Sample layout only. Subject to change.
Two, the app will be unmistakably North. It will be embedded into North’s existing website url structure, for starters. And North will be able to brand the platform with their agency’s look and feel. This might seem minor, but it’s significant. The North platform will feel distinctly North, not just another Ideasicle X experience. When agencies invite clients to join the idea generation or observe the virtual process, they’ll want it to reflect the agency’s brand. And with IX Embedded it will.
We will keep you posted as we develop the platform for our first beta test with North.
To apply to be a beta tester like North click here and scroll down to the bottom.
Will Burns is the Founder & CEO of the revolutionary virtual-idea-generating company, Ideasicle X. He’s an advertising veteran from such agencies as Wieden & Kennedy, Goodby Silverstein, Arnold Worldwide, and Mullen. He was a Forbes Contributor for nine years writing about creativity in modern branding. Sign up for the Ideasicle Newsletter and never miss a post like this.