Martin Sorrell, chief executive of the WPP Group, opened this years MRG conference with a keynote speech focusing on how clients perceive media research.
Sorrell said that while research had progressed from a ‘one man and his dog’ situation a few years ago to a major business operation today, the business of advertising agencies was being threatened by business consultancies. He cited the pressure that clients are under to quantify media research; Sorrell believes that they have more confidence in consultancies than agencies. He criticised the way agencies ‘gave away their thoughts for free’, where consultancies charge for everything.
The speech also drew attention to media inflation, audience fragmentation and concerns about the quality of current data. Sorrell feels that the future of media research lies in pulling together media buying outfits and the creation of branded propriety products.
Sorrell said that the way forward is to develop more strategic options for clients, providing statistical proof of their effectiveness.
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