Last week on the show, The Media Leader spoke with Thinkbox’s Elliott Millard about how brands can reconsider their cultural impact. This week, we wanted to continue that conversation with an agency that bills itself as sitting right at the centre of culture.
Hamid Habib is the managing director of Arena Media within Havas Village. Habib and Arena Media pride themselves on working on inventive campaigns that embed brands within culture and communities.
Habib discusses what it means to work for a “cultural media agency”, how he has moved his clients away from channel planning and toward ecosystem design, and the overarching cultural changes he thinks every brand should be aware of.
He and host Jack Benjamin also talk about why brands are underinvesting in gaming, and how AI is changing the role agencies play for their clients.
Listen now by hitting the play button or use the appropriate entry point into Spotify, Apple or Google Podcasts:
Thanks to our production partners, Trisonic, for editing this episode. Discover how Trisonic can elevate your brand and expand your business by connecting with your ideal audience.
Highlights
4:55: Arena Media’s unique client proposition and why brands “grow when they move with culture”.
11:24: Less channel planning, more ecosystem design: Why the brand and performance dichotomy is not fit-for-purpose.
18:00: Important cultural shifts this year: Bifurcation of media behaviours across generations, AI changing customer journeys
26:32: Brands need a BANG: Breadth, authenticity, newness, granularity
31:33: Zig when others zag: Why Reddit, gaming are underinvested channels
45:06: Are agencies still relevant as automated planning, buying and creative becomes common?
Related articles
How marketers should reconsider culture and short-term strategies — with Thinkbox’s Elliott Millard
Is there still room for human creativity in the AI era?
Charlie Hugill: Why the future of media is real, human and experiential
PlayNet launches to connect gaming with online behaviour
Latest episodes
How marketers should reconsider culture and short-term strategies — with Thinkbox’s Elliott Millard
What the OOH industry needs to do to double its market share – with WOO’s Tom Goddard
Why the United Nations is asking advertisers to protect the open web
