Summing up the highlights of the year, Gordon Patterson, group MD said, “This year has been a very special one, it's been everything we've expected and a whole lot more. Overall, we've exceeded our new business goal by 123% on an annualised basis; launched the company into South Africa in a remarkable three-day turnaround time and had positive feedback from numerous clients despite trying economic and trading conditions, combined with an unpredictable media landscape.
“Internally, we've made great strides over the past twelve months in establishing and resourcing our Consumer Context Planning initiative with the appointment of Eve Pennington and we've instituted more intensive internal training. We have taken the lead position with AMASA with its intern training initiative; won a Gold Roger Garlick Award and received a Bronze award in the Internationalist Awards for Innovation in Media.”
“Often the efforts of media owners are not recognised within our profession but within SMG we certainly respect and appreciate the difference a professional media owner / representative can make to our clients,” says Patterson.
The event balanced serious recognition with various ‘tongue in cheek' awards and closed with an auction of several senior members of the SMG management team to media owners to raise funds for the ABF.
Patterson concluded by saying, “Our industry relies on the extraordinary contribution of individuals and yet, when times are tough and people lose their jobs, we as an industry often forget their contribution. The ABF is on hand when these colleagues need us most and hence our support.”
