Leading advertising broadcaster Jeremy Maggs is taking up the challenge with his new initiative called Ad Forum in association with advertising monitoring company Ornico. Ad Forum will see half a dozen advertising agencies and their clients showing new work to a critical audience of brand and marketing managers and directors and then being quizzed by Maggs and his team that includes respected commentator Andy Rice, top media strategist Gordon Muller and Ornico's Oresti Patricos, who writes and talks extensively about the subject. Each agency and their client will present the work and then discuss it in terms of brief, development, strategy, execution, use of media and effectiveness. At the end of the 90 minute session, says Maggs, those who use and buy advertising will have a better understanding of the ad landscape and the strengths and weaknesses of participating agencies. Hopefully, through this initiative, advertising across all categories will improve. The first session takes place at Hyde Park's Nu Metro cinemas on 24 June at 7am. The cost per session is R195 + VAT and includes parking, coffee and a light breakfast. Seats are being taken up quickly and can be reserved by dropping event manager Marcia Minnaar a mail at az.oc.evitcaten@aicram.
Notes Maggs: "Ad Forum is the next phase in our rollout of The Annual's brand. The book now going into its fourth edition has become the country's biggest and most authoritative compendium of the advertising, media and branding year. Our next edition will be out at the end of November and launched at another theme-based conference. Through Ad Forum we want people to start engaging actively and critically with advertising, looking at best practice and asking tough questions of ad agencies. Six of the country's leading ad agencies will participate in the inaugural event."
