Agency Seminar: How To Survive 2009

The topic of a challenging year ahead was tackled in the second panel discussion at yesterday’s ‘Future of the Media Agency’ seminar help by MediaTel Group.

The panel of Andy Barnes (Channel 4), Chris Locke (VivaKi), Rob Atkinson (ClearChannel) and Jane Wolfson (Initiative) discussed how to cope with a potential reduction in media spend.

Chris Locke felt that media would be cheaper next year, with a focus to be placed upon engagement rather than merely buying space. He said brands should pay less and re-invest the difference, with sponsorship being a potential growth area. Initiative’s Jane Wolfson echoed Locke, believing that brands should also look to be more creative in order to stand out and make an impact.

Andy Barnes – whilst acknowledging the risk involved – said that if companies were to invest in choppy waters there were potentially huge rewards on offer – the long term gain of short-term improvement being the main carrot for companies out there.

The need for long-term planning was also central to Atkinson’s thoughts, who believed that companies should look at a three-year rather than an annual cycle.

In the first panel, WPP’s Mark Read felt that brands would have to spend intelligently in the near future, citing PR as a growing area in his business where brands have been able to make an impact efficiently.

MediaTel Group: 0207 439 7575 www.mediatelgroup.co.uk