2Bobs—with David C. Baker and Blair Enns Defending the Castle When the Moats Are Drained
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Nov 19, 2025 The discussion dives into the disappearing moats of the creative industry, exploring lost revenue areas like desktop publishing. With the internet reshaping client relationships, the duo critiques AI's potential disruption and corporate risks faced by agencies. They advocate for aligning with clients, leveraging data for decision-making, and embracing roles that simplify complexities. Emphasizing the importance of trust and agility, they challenge agencies to rethink growth strategies while fostering human connections amidst technological advancements.
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Old Moats: Typesetting And Print Revenues
- Blair Enns recalls typesetting on a Verityper and earning from photo separations and printing decades ago.
- He uses this to show how many historical moats in the creative field have already vanished over time.
Post Room To Affordable Avids
- David C. Baker tells a story helping a post-production firm set up a $1.6M facility as Avid systems emerged.
- He contrasts that past cost with modern Avids to illustrate democratization of tools.
Geography Was The Biggest Drained Moat
- Blair Enns identifies the geographic moat as the biggest lost advantage when the internet let clients hire anyone.
- Losing geographic exclusivity both expanded opportunity and exposed agencies to far more competition.
