#Loeries2017: How to be future-fit for cyber challenges
I interviewed Johanna McDowell, founder and CEO of IAS (Independent Agency Search and Selection Company) to find out what one could expect to learn from her masterclass on the changing agency/client relationship and ‘how clients and agencies can adapt, evolve and be future-fit for cyber challenges’.
McDowell will present some research findings from the Scopen Agency Scope 2016 study, and will be joined on stage by Mike Schalit, CCO of BBDO South Africa, Gau Narayan, regional director for BBDO Africa, and Selvin Govender, marketing director, Mercedes-Benz South Africa for a more comprehensive discussion around digital transformation.
Using Mercedes-Benz South Africa as a case study, they’ll demonstrate how the manufacturer is playing a leading role in driving this within Daimler Worldwide and how this is impacting its relationship with Net#work BBDO, the way of working and the advertising development process.
Everyone from marketing and brand managers to CMOs are encouraged to attend.
Speed of change is the biggest factor. Measurability of the results and the impact that has on the client and then on the client/agency dynamic. Levels of expectations by clients on agencies is greater due to the fact results are now readily available and can be put to work in the marketing space so much quicker.
Comment on the influence digital is having on the industry.
Digital is growing quickly. Last year our Scopen research told us that marketers were allocating about 18% of their total marketing and advertising budgets to digital spend. This year’s initial results from our fieldwork indicate that this percentage is already at 26%. That level of increase alone means that more agencies are doing more digital work, needing more expertise in the digital sector.In this year’s IAS masterclass, the key topic of discussion is going to be around the agency/client relationship. How is digital affecting this and how are the dynamics changing?
The key takeout?
I think that the key takeout will be to learn how digital activity has changed the dynamic of the client agency relationship and that the closer collaboration required is leading to even greater success. But let’s see what the class reveals.
It was announced earlier this week that the Women in Marketing (WIM) Awards are now open to global submissions, and that the IAS is the proud South African sponsor. Why did the IAS decide to sponsor the 2017 WIM Awards?
We have been watching these awards with great interest ever since they started a few years ago. Up until now they were only run in the UK, but this year they have expanded internationally. With the entries now opening up globally – it is an ideal opportunity for us to encourage South African marketers to enter, and we are very keen to see how well our South African senior marketing women do in these awards this year.
Why are you proud to be supporting this initiative?
The IAS is very proud to support these awards which recognise talented women in the marketing profession. It is a really important initiative to encourage more leading women to enter professional awards. It is supportive of the marketing industry and we as a business support that industry.
What would you say to encourage women in the marketing, advertising and communications industries to enter?
Please make your voice heard, enter these awards and be confident of success. The SA marketing industry is a very good one and the marketing ladies that we know are all of a very high calibre. World class.
The masterclasses are currently under way at the Southern Sun Elangeni Hotel in Durban. For more info on these, go to Loeries.com.
About Jessica Tennant
Jess is Senior Editor: Marketing & Media at Bizcommunity.com. She is also a contributing writer. moc.ytinummoczib@swengnitekram
