Mediacom to restructure and switch focus from buying to strategy
Mediacom is undertaking a major restructure of the agency, led by up to ten new appointments following a year which saw high-profile client losses including the David Jones account and the departure of chairman Anne Parsons.
The changes to be unveiled to staff on February 16 are the first to be brought in by Toby Jenner since he was promoted from Sydney MD to chief executive. It is also being led by chief strategy officer Mat Baxter, chief operating officer Mark Pejic and Melbourne MD Philip Phelan.
Baxter said it will move away from its traditional focus on media buying and extend further into strategy:
We don’t want to be another big, boring, faceless media agency, there’s enough of those already. We want to be a world class communications agency that puts strategy and creativity at the heart of our business.
“This isn’t a tweak, it’s a transformation. And that’s what this business needs because we can’t continue to trade solely on our media buying heritage. Since Toby became CEO I think the appetite for change has massively increased.”
Mediacom was behind the strategy of the recent Nova campaign which saw ads placed on rival stations for fake milk brand Cowman Milk.
The ads, created by Three Drunk Monkeys, were used to promote Nova’s new breakfast line up Merrick Watts, former ABC presenter Scott Dooley and singer Ricki-Lee Coulter.
Last year, Mediacom was hit by the lost of the Nokia, Westpac and David Jones accounts. It picked up the Canon business and was retained Ikea’s media buying duties.
Its chairman Parsons announced her departure from the agency at the end of last year.
Mediacom’s major clients include the New South Wales Government, all Procter & Gamble brands, Foster’s and the Universal group of companies.
Tim Burrowes founded Mumbrella in 2008. He worked on Mumbrella until 2021. At various points he was editor, content director and editor-at-large.
Linkedin
maybe they can get Starcom to buy their media?
User ID not verified.
Baxter: “…We cant continue to trade solely on our media buying heritage…”
If this muppet is now the spokes person for Mediacom god help them.
User ID not verified.
Anything to back up your argument Gezza or just a gutless stab at a tall poppy?
User ID not verified.
Hi Gezza & Sponge Bob,
I think I’ll go in to bat for Mat Baxter on this one too…
Mat is certainly polarising. But he’s also clever and willing to say what he thinks. In a market that is far too dominated by mere buying muscle, I’m excited to have another agency putting that front and centre. Not enough of them do.
Cheers,
Tim – Mumbrella
Good on you Mediacom for making an effort. The market has become greatly commoditised and the sooner we move away from that, the higher the quality of work. This should certainly help.
User ID not verified.
Really, Mediacom have been talking about this for ages. Realistically do they think clients will now suddenly pay for strategy? They need to back this “transformation” with a more credible and detailed offer based on what clients are demanding and from people who actually know what strategy is, rather than the so-called strategy most agencies sprout.
User ID not verified.
Matt seems to be an easy target but he’s smart and determined. I think the next few months for mediacom will be interesting and incredibly positive.
I’m with Tim – in an industry dominated by scale and a lack of free thinking what Mediacom is trying to do could be really exciting.
User ID not verified.
Good on Baxter. Good on Mediacom. If OMD can undergo such a transformation into a market-leader, then so can they… One of the smartest minds in the business running strategy – and there’s some good management talent in their besides to keep everything else on the up.
All power to them.
User ID not verified.
@Stephen – Are you suggesting they should publicly detail the offer or they don’t know what strategy is. Or both?
User ID not verified.
Adrian,
Not surprisingly, few agencies know what strategy is, don’t actually employ strategists (yes, Mediacom has a few) or even how to do it.
And yes they should detail their offer. What’s it going to be beyond media strategy? I know they were considering a wider offer. Hopefully it won’t be a list of headers on a website or presentation but as I stated, will be connected to both client problems and end customers.
Stephen
User ID not verified.
@spongebob. Gezza told me to tell you that the comment reflects his view that for a relative newcomer to be so dismissive of the many talented peole who have worked at mediacom over the past few years show lack of judgement and maturity. I think its reasonable to expect both from the head of strategy of a large agency.
User ID not verified.
Good time of the year to try and get some positive PR out there about yourself but really, let see the sausage. Every agency in town has released some dribble like this at some point in past. PS…I think that Nova and TDM are also claim to be “behind” that idea. “Success has many fathers…..” and all that.
User ID not verified.
@ dont fear change….agree mat has some skill as for the “good management talent” in the business. no evidence of this anywhere and it’s really been “down and down” for these guys (in groupm style all men I note)
User ID not verified.
Wondering how many of the “10 new appointments” are in strategy and are people with the skills? The agency had a sinking lid recruitment policy all of last year and was down about 20 people at one point? Agree with the above, show the sausage, not the sauce.
User ID not verified.
Say What: no evidence of management skills? Remember the three man team who built up Naked in Sydney into quite an operation?
He was one of them… For whatever reason you may not have liked his management style, but that’s something different.
Cheers,
Tim – Mumbrella
User ID not verified.
Dear Tim: Thanks for picking that up if that was the outtake it was not the intention….just to clarify. I was referring to the comment above from “don’t fear change” and I quote “and there’s some good management talent in their besides to keep everything else on the up”. No evidence of this in the exist management around Baxter and nothing in the business has been “on the up” for a couple of years. Agree, Mat has skills but suspect he must feel a bit lonely sometimes in that business.
User ID not verified.
@Say What…
I think maybe you’re reading too much into the inevitable big loss or two that occured when Anne Parsons finally exited the building. Rome wasn’t built in a day and it’s only now, post Parsons, that the new team will get a chance to set the direction of the agency and show what they are really made of…
User ID not verified.
@don’t fear change….blah blah blah……these people have been in the business for years and done nothing…..careful, your employer is showing.
User ID not verified.
I’ll happily defend Mat’s management ability. The education I received while under his guidance during his last period at Mediacom (then Zenithmedia) has served me well.
I’ve been waiting to see what changes his return to the agency would bring – I honestly think the combination of Mat and Toby will herald a new era for Mediacom after what must be a dissappointing period.
Good luck lads!
User ID not verified.
Good luck to them. Tough to change the fact that clients went their originally for efficient buying, and that they are staffed with great buyers. Massive job to change those two facts….whoever you are!
User ID not verified.
And insecure with yourselves that you need to pour shit on change and having a go. I guess all the hero’s bagging mediacom are legends and retired on their great successes!!
User ID not verified.
I wish them luck and hope all agencies are embracing a solid change models. (way to many anon posts here)
http://www.mindtools.com/pages.....PPM_82.htm
regards
digital foot soldier for the competition
User ID not verified.
I wish them luck and hope all agencies are embracing solid change models. (way too many anon posts here)
http://www.mindtools.com/pages…..PPM_82.htm
regards
digital foot soldier for the competition
**repost edit: Tim pls remove dupe**
User ID not verified.
@Stephen byrne
it’s ironic that you want matt to outline his offer when your “website” is nothing more than a splash page with a couple of buzz words. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black.
User ID not verified.