Agency Seminar: Is There A Need To Improve Trading Platforms?

The thorny issue of media trading was discussed by both panels at yesterday’s ‘Future of the Media Agency’ seminar held by MediaTel Group.

Nick Manning of Ebiquity kicked off the discussions by stating that current trading systems were more “lathe than laser”. Manning believed a lack of technical skills within media agencies are holding them back – with the main role of the CTO being to keep the network up and running rather than sourcing new solutions to drive the business forward.

Mark Read from WPP said his organisation is at present focusing upon effectiveness over efficiency, whilst Initiative’s Jane Wolfson acknowledged that current trading systems were old-fashioned and that “a J-ET for press would solve a lot of admin”. Wolfson also felt that systems are only successful if everyone signs up to a single system.

Clear Channel’s Rob Atkinson was unsure of the benefits of the system, believing that it would commoditise it, thereby reducing the potential to generate ideas and diminish collaboration whilst also preventing the opportunity for media owners to upsell.

Andy Troullides of IMD plc contributed from the floor and outlined how press and online would benefit from adopting trading systems: “if you make the process easy, you make more money.”

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