State of the Media survey: Complexity and agency relationships frustrate marketers
L:R Lamb, Perrin, O’Brien, Woolley, Shrivell
Marketers are struggling with the increasing complexity of the industry, the challenges of managing their agency roster and are questioning the industry’s measurement of effectiveness across channels according to the latest State of the Media Industry report.
The survey conducted by MediaScope and TrinityP3 of 286 respondents from across the sector, was presented at Mumbrella360 this week, and drew out a number of key industry issues that were frustrating marketers and agencies alike.
“There’s two key things from the survey. Things are generally seen to be improving but there is even more complexity in the market,” said Darren Wooley, founder of TrinityP3.
A summary of some of the findings can be seen in this video:
“This idea that everything is becoming blurred because of creative agencies moving into media and yet the media side of the industry seems to completely ignore that the media agencies are also moving into creative.
“Then there is this push into data and analytics and the fact that the industry hasn’t come up with an attribution model for measuring cross channel effectiveness — this is really becoming a hot topic.
“The ANA in the US has announced it is pulling together an industry working group to come up with an industry standard for cross channel measurement where as Australia we are likely to end up with 10 or 12 different models.”
According to the survey remuneration and agency business structures, training/recruitment and fragmentation across aid, owned and earned media channels were issues frustrating agencies.
Media owners reported disconnect and miscommunication – between media, agencies & marketers and the challenge of keeping up to date in a fast moving market were among their challenges.
Woolley was joined by a panel that included Barry O’Brien founder of D212, Annick Perrin from Starcom, former managing director of TMS Andrew Lamb and MediaScope’s Denise Shrivell.
O’Brien told the audience that while the debate around bringing media and creative agencies together would continue it did not make sense from a resource point of view.
“I think the horse has bolted in a form of having a strategic person involved in the agency I get all of that but to go an put all that resource in terms of digital, buying or whatever else,” said O’Brien.
“Businesses have moved on a long time ago since the change. To go and reinvent the whole thing would be a massive change.
“The question is what is your focus? All of a sudden you’re the media agency then you’re the media/creative agency.”
Perrin told the audience that she did not believe the full service model worked for most clients.
“If I was a client there is no way I would want to go back to a full service agency,” said Perrin.
“You have a choice now where you can work with a number of relevant agencies, Coca-Cola for example have 15-20 rostered agencies and they pick and choose based on the brand, brief purpose etc.
“I think goes back to what the client wants and what the brand needs.”
Nic Christensen
What a depressingly negative video montage of opinions to be shared on the day after a celebration of great work and achievements across all aspects of the industry last night.
It’s also a great shame to me that the underlying theme in this video seems to be the culture of pointing the finger of blame as opposed to actually working on a solution.
There must be examples of working relationships between clients, media, creative, specialist agencies, and media owners that produce very effective marketing programmes that help brands grow consistently, and where all parties are reasonably and fairly remunerated for their efforts?
If these are the exception to the rule, then perhaps the rules need changing.
No agency should be forced to work with a client that doesn’t pay them reasonably and fairly.
No client should be forced to work with an agency that they don’t trust or can’t collaborate with.
Media owners should be encouraged to participate early and proactively in the quest to find the most effective communication solution.
Nirvana? Perhaps, but it shouldn’t be as hard as this video seems to make it out to be.
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Dirk’s bookshelf looks like the result of a rigorous procurement process.
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Paddy. You are right. Unsure if you were at the session but we made the exact point. The negative sentiment is there, but it probably is representative of a small % of what is going on. For the most part, we collectively are doing a good job. Can we all do better? Of course. But sometimes the small negatives overshadow the large positives.
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Frank, looks like the shelves and every book came from the bargain bin of the $2 Reject Shop.
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Hi Lamby, unfortunately I wasn’t able to attend the session so I’m glad that there were more positives that came out of the live discussion.
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Thanks for your comments Paddy – as Andrew notes during the session we recognised the video highlighted some of the more controversial comments generated by survey respondents.
By way of background – the concept for the State of the Media survey came about almost 2 years ago to the day (after Mumbrella360 2012) when Darren and I met and discussed the daily conversations we have with colleagues who vent their frustration at the media trading process. The idea for State of the Media grew from there. Tim then kindly offered us a platform at Mumbrella360 to present our findings and get a panel of peers involved.
Some of the aims of the survey is to learn more, generate awareness and debate, and share the reasons for the issues and challenges which cause this friction and frustration within the media trading process. Over the past 2 years we’ve done just that. The State of the Media is covered through a series of articles, interviews and survey results here – http://www.mediascope.com.au/state-of-the-media
Moving forward we’ll also give greater focus to solutions and the good news stories happening in our industry.
I’ve also reached out to you ‘off-Mumbrella’ Paddy – happy to discuss at anytime.
Thanks everyone – Mumbrella360 was a great couple of days (and nights).
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What does this mean? “I think the horse has bolted in a form of having a strategic person involved in the agency I get all of that but to go an put all that resource in terms of digital, buying or whatever else,” Answers on a postcard, please
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