There is still time to make this a more efficient industry
Do agencies really hold the key to better and more systems around process and trading? They seem to, judging by the tone of conversation and comment at MediaTel Group’s latest breakfast event – ‘Would more investment in media systems make us all more profitable?’ (staged in association with Clearcast).
Certainly, agency senior management appear to largely ignore, or at least de-prioritise, systems development. Excel and DDS remain the most used tools. This unhealthy tri-umvirate explains partly why much of the planning and buying process remains exactly where it was 25 years ago. Better process and a more flexible, integrated core system than DDS could increase agency margins tomorrow. Clearly agencies do hold the key to forcing rapid DDS integration, partly by encouraging competition.
But…whilst TV’s CARIA and radio’s J-ET have been making trading easier for some time (and J-ET now links to DDS too) there should be similar systems for press and online by now shouldn’t there?
We have covered press before and the event summation that this has been thwarted by “petty politics” is at least half the reason this has not progressed.
In online, the IAB tried to move forward with a briefing and booking system about four years ago, badgered by interested suppliers. This became a microcosm of media systems issues, most especially battles for control and lack of leadership. The pitch to the IAB was “back one or you will end up with a dozen disparate systems.” The IPA wanted involvement and a consensus system. Cue a bit of pitching; not much in the way of worthwhile trials; DDS offering to bundle in i-desk for little or nothing even though it was far from ready; a few suppliers getting on with it independently; others getting out.
End result – everyone loses interest and the industry now has what it perhaps deserves – an inefficient mess.
Yet…this is still a positive industry, and Wednesdays event showed there remains hope and ambition to bring efficiencies – and at the same time, lest we forget, make many people’s jobs more interesting too – this industry could win gold medals for re-keying of data and bookings!!
The big question is can greater intent be matched by tangible leadership, actions and investment.