Carat Merges Press And TV To Form New Cross-Media Unit
Carat is merging its press and broadcast divisions to form a cross-media planning, buying and campaign evaluation unit, led by head of broadcast Mark Jarvis (pictured).
The move will see television, press, radio, cinema and regional media combined into a new 120-strong division, which will carry out implementational planning and buying across the entire group.
Carat’s head of press, Tim Kirkman, will work closely with Jarvis to implement the restructuring by the start of September, but has decided to leave the company to pursue other opportunities.
The new structure will create multimedia teams handling £890 million worth of billings and working to co-ordinate cross-media deals with media owners. Communications strategy will remain unaffected within the existing communications planning department.
Carat’s managing director, Colin Mills, said: “By merging our press and broadcast functions into the same department we will further enhance our media-neutral credentials and deliver an improved service to our clients. Working in the same team, both our planners and buyers will have a deeper understanding of more than one media discipline.”
He added: “In addition, we will be able to maximise on both our negotiating power and cross-media opportunities. I am looking forward to working with Mark and his team taking this change forward, and building on our implementational planning and buying business.”
Kirkman said: “”I have had a fantastic time over the fifteen years I’ve spent at Carat. However, I feel that this is a great time for me to look for new challenges within the media industry.”
It is understood that broadcast directors Gareth Jones, Phillipa Goldberg and Steve Hobbs, regional press director Julia Bean and press director Jo Blake, will all report to Jarvis as multimedia directors working across client teams.
The restructure reflects the increasing demand for cross-media solutions and the need for a single point of contact to implement integrated advertising packages.
Earlier this week it was announced that Mediaedge:cia’s managing director, James Whitmore, has left the company and is to be replaced by Matt James, formerly managing director of Manning Gottlieb OMD (see Mediaedge:cia Parts Ways With Managing Director).
Carat: 020 7430 6000 www.carat.com
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