Author: Sophia Furness

5 trends for 2022 & beyond

Posted on May 4, 2022 by - General News, Insights

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1.    Re-calibrating a media mix for the endemic

Why should you care? The pandemic prompted digital acceleration and e-commerce convergence, plus Apple’s recent IDFA changes and Google’s decision to phase out third-party cookies has certainly had marketers and their agencies re-allocating their media budgets over the course of 2020-2021 in favour of digital. But it is vital to understand that a key outcome of the pandemic influence on consumer behaviour is the consumer brand experience and purchase journey is no longer linear.  Cross platform strategies have been proven to drive incremental reach and ROI uplifts across multiple industry categories.  Having well researched and balanced assessment and implementing a diverse channel selection is critical in meaningfully reaching people.

During the pandemic advertisers recalibrate their channel strategies around COVID consumer and consumption behaviour. Skewing investment significantly toward Social Media, Connected TV (CTV), Online Video (OLV) and E-Commerce fast accelerated ad spend for many global advertisers despite the pandemic. For the first time in history increases in global ad spend (+22%) significantly exceeded global GDP (+5.9%), where historically ad spend and GDP trends were closely linked.

Global marketers will spend more than $52bn USD by 2023 on ads across websites or apps that are ecommerce focussed[1], with the largest and fastest growing player being Amazon. Predictions for CTV ad spend is that it will double the spend of 2021, and by 2025 will reach $34.9bn, equating to one third of video ad spend.

In Australia, changing media consumption patterns, accelerated by COVID lockdowns, resulted in strong growth for CTV spend, whilst desktop and mobile share of total video spend decreased.  Programmatic trading continued to hold strong with a 4.8% growth. Video advertising accelerated 38.8% to reach $2.376bn.

Australians adapting to life in a pandemic turned to multiple platforms for connection and engagement:

  • Virtual Reality was the fastest growing segment, with headset sales increasing consistently across 2020.
  • Transactional Video on Demand (TVOD) / Premium Video On Demand (PVOD) became the in-home cinema.
  • Gaming revenues rose by almost 10% in 2020, and traditional gaming was boosted by the launch of next-generation consoles from Microsoft and Sony in late 2020.

But whilst the pandemic has pushed consumers online and into digital channels, it is important to maintain perspective on which media consumers are spending their time versus the amount invested in those channels by advertisers.  The following chart demonstrates that there are key trends emerging to remind us that whilst digital is a part of everything, it is not the only thing across the consumption spectrum:

N.B A number above 100 indicates that the medium ad spend is larger than its share of consumption, and a number below 100 indicates the inverse[2]

Key observations are as follows:

  • Globally, social media attracts more investment from advertisers than linear TV for the first time; however, both media draw far more of advertising budgets than the average consumer spends with these channels each day.
    • Linear TV is forecast to account for a 31.5% share of advertising spend in 2022, compared to a 16.1% share of daily media consumption.
    • Social media is estimated to garner 39.1% of 2022 ad spend among the eight media studied in the report but has a 21.4% share of daily media consumption.
    • In Australia, Social Media’s share of daily media consumption is higher than its share of advertising budgets.
  • Globally, Audio formats appear to be heavily undervalued, podcasts by as much as $40bn. This channel offers significant opportunities especially targeting 16-24’s. Online press is also an undervalued medium when compared to consumption.

2.    Brand(s) as an extension of self

Why should you care? Brand body language when lived and breathed authentically can deliver increased short-term efficiency and long-term profitability. Thinking ‘brand in’ and allowing your brand to be an extension of its consumers will deliver increased connection, preference in usage, long-term relationships and will continue to be important during the endemic and beyond.

The important thing is being authentic in your behaviour and what you are trying to achieve with any purpose-based marketing. This may take the form of deeper strategic relationships with like-minded vendors, resulting media and content partnerships to tell an authentic brand story, brand purpose and behaviours rather than relying on a ‘brand out’ advertising message.

With increases in consumer scepticism compounded by the availability of new information in real-time, brands can no longer just say what they do, how they do it, why they do it and then not deliver their promises. This represents ‘brand out’ mentality and increasingly drives a disconnect between brands and consumers. People today want the brands they use to be an extension of themselves. This means that brands must think with a ‘brand in’ mentality, inviting their customers along their journey, showing (not telling) them how their values align, across all touchpoints.

We are in an era of purpose driven marketing, and it is not going away any time soon. A ‘brands body language’, when utilised well and with authenticity, delivers significant effectiveness uplifts. In fact, a strong purpose can typically increase the amount of light product or service buyers, the highest volume of new customers available to persuade in any category resulting in significant market share gains[3]. The best example of this in recent years remains Nike and their continued support of brand ambassador Colin Kaepernick despite being boycotted by the NFL. Although there was significant backlash, ultimately the authenticity of the message and support won out, delivering Nike’s highest share price in recent times as well as significant increases in online sales volume.

The same study evidenced those that only dip a toe in the water of living their brand body language or do so with inauthenticity see negative performance effects in weaker cases. Brands shouldn’t try force fit purpose. We have seen so many brands try and fail from Pepsi and their ‘Live for Now’ featuring Kendal Jenner TVC trivialising the BLM movement in 2017 to Gillette and their Best a Man Can Be campaign from 2019. Both missing the mark on authenticity and whether they have a right for a voice on those issues. These examples were seen by consumers as attempted profiteering from the misfortune of others by aligning with social causes.

Some things to consider about living your brand body language:

  • Clearly define your brand behaviours that you want to live and breathe, then make sure all consumer facing touch points can live these behaviours.
  • Sense-check those behaviours against the realities of your business, inauthentic brand behaviour can have a negative effect on a brands health and performance.
  • Make a plan to address any gaps in your current behaviour and be upfront you’re your customers bringing them along that journey.
  • Listen to feedback. A timeless brand is one that evolves. Just because something resonated yesterday does not mean it will for ever.

3.    Virtual brand identity crisis: Navigating The Metaverse

Why you should care?  The Metaverse is about a single person being themselves as authentically as possible, and sometimes engaging with brands for style or utility.

Metaverse users are demonstrating a growing desire to customise their avatars to reflect their own tastes – and to stand out from others. Brands operating in the Metaverse must be an extension of the users, and must get comfortable relinquishing control and empowering the user whilst also being responsive and progressive.

Virtual Worlds offer brands the opportunity to connect with their consumers afresh and extend their brand relationships within already an established Metaverse. But this must be done in an authentic way, adding value to a user’s personal Metaverse, rather than acting solely in the interest of the brand.

Virtual Worlds are already huge in The Metaverses… Sorry Meta.

In 2007, Second Life was at the height of its success. The virtual world had hundreds of thousands of active residents and a self-reported $500m in GDP. Major brand players, like Reebok and Dell built virtual stores, readying themselves for the new world of marketing.

And then, it stopped growing, primarily due to technological frustrations. Users got tired of the hours of on-boarding required to enter the Second Life world. And if they did, it was a “ghost town.”  Branded shopfronts were abandoned as they offered nothing to the Second Life user.

However, as the pandemic took hold in 2020 Second Life saw a resurgence.  Registrations increased as certain demographics explored the “metaverse” as they weathered the ongoing lockdown and isolation in their homes.  200 million daily active users processing more the 345 million transactions annually now pays more than $80.4 million to creators annually, boosting Second Life’s economy by 30 to 40 percent.

Second Life is not the only online community people have turned to connect during the pandemic. Nintendo’s “Animal Crossing: New Horizons” has millions using the platform as a social retreat. Fortnite (25m DAPS), Minecraft (4.3m DAPs), Among Us (60m DAPs) and Roblox (43m DAPs) are clearly hugely popular, especially amongst younger players.

How to navigate your brand through The Metaverse:

  • Virtual Brand Partnerships: As more users enters virtual worlds globally to socialize and play in a “safe space” how can brands connect in an authentic way that demonstrates commitment and purpose and not just an opportunistic sell?
    • Coca-Cola held a competition in which residents submitted designs for a virtual vending machine. The winner of the competition appeared in a video about designing a Second Life ‘object’.
    • Starwood Hotels used Second Life to test building and room designs, taking suggestions from residents and incorporating them into real building plans.
    • Roblox in a partnership with Gucci brought to virtual life a version of the fashion house’s multimedia exhibition in Florence, Italy, called Gucci Garden Archetypes. The experience included themed rooms focused on different Gucci collections and personalized textures and patterns for each visitor’s “mannequin.” The Gucci Garden also offered several themed rooms that paid homage to Gucci campaigns,” including “a virtual lobby” where their avatars could view, try on and purchase digital Gucci items.
  • The best executions will be the ones that add value to the Metaverse experience then link that experience to the real-world.

   4. The On Demand Effect: I want it all. And I want it now…

Why should you care? Global supply chains are constantly evolving to deliver to consumer right now, thus being able to optimise in real time is critical.  But in many cases advertisers are finding that attribution remains too far behind to be truly effective.  It is a complex data ecosystem and marketers globally are re-visiting econometric modelling seeking fresh perspectives. In the meantime, building brand-consumer relationship has become ever more complex.  The tick-box list to success in consumers eyes has expanded to include, for example, expectations around sustainability credentials and brand purpose. 

The On Demand consumer see brands wholistically.  Over the course of the pandemic, marketing and communications trends have skewed to being digitally performance driven.  Brands are now facing the challenge of addressing the balance to build out sustainable relationships to secure a wider and loyal consumer pool and remain “on demand” and on the list.

“On Demand” is no longer a term applicable to just catch-up TV.  “On Demand” is meeting consumers where they are and where they will be in the future. Online, on mobile devices, at home, and at the time and place of their own choosing. In fact, “On Demand” means “Meet my expectations”.  Woe-betide any brand that does not.

In the world of shopping, buying pathways and habits have changed in the pandemic.  Pre-Covid the focus was on bottom of the funnel via DR media to drive performance / sales. Now, as touchpoints are converging, channels that were used for awareness and education have become channels also used to drive purchase.

Salesforce numbers place the current average of physical and digital touchpoints across an individual shopping journey at nine, depending on location, category, context, and channel[4].  And consumers expect their experience across all touchpoints to be “frictionless”: no lag, no delay, no lack of supply.  Connected commerce has become the new norm. This has meant that the traditional funnel journey has disappeared in favour of a multiple touchpoint concurrent journey and brands risk losing identity and control in this new expedited shopping experience.

A further level of complexity in the shopping ecosystem is retail media.  As consumers increasingly shop online their first search is within a retailer’s own site (eg Amazon) and for brands, there is now not only the need to understand the differences in performance within these retailer “walled gardens” versus online and on brand owned media, but also how to expand the consumer-brand experience and build out longer term relationships within an environment over which they have little control.

Some things to appease consumers On Demand expectations:

  • Provision of a consistent, frictionless user experience across all channels
  • Investment in infrastructure and logistics to meet the promises of the brand and expectations of consumers
  • Expectation management in line with the reality of products and services being provided
  • Listening to consumers, identifying pressure points, evolving accordingly, REPEAT

5.    Unpredictable consumers require agile measurement

Why should you care? The continual change in consumer behaviours and the collapse of the traditional linear funnel journey means every touchpoint has become an opportunity to build brand AND drive performance.  As media companies continue diversify their offerings and embrace digital transformation, understanding where audiences are in the digital ecosphere and what balance of brand versus performance optimisation to be implemented to drive deliver greatest ROI is the ongoing challenge.

The answer is that there is no one-size fits all when it comes to measurement, therefore a triangulation of methodologies is required. Econometric modelling can yield strong and useful insights for strategic planning, but when marketers are in the thick of it, endeavouring to make dynamic decisions, such as during a pandemic, putting all the data eggs in one econometrics basket risks losing understanding of nuanced consumer behaviours. Brands are now challenged to be available in any way possible, therefore working with media and communications teams who can deep dive and analyse consumer research and overlay real-time brand and product data sourced across multiple platforms to generate robust and actionable insights is essential. 

Consumer journey attribution. Trustworthy scenario planning. Efficient buying decisions. Linear attribution and optimization. Market share. Sales. ROI. Customer Loyalty.  Social buzz.  Mental availability.

Data ownership continues to shift in favour of the consumer, highlighted by the impending loss of cookies and the increasing control consumers are exerting over which apps can track their behaviour and use their data.  Covid has fast-tracked digital shopping behaviours and much has been said over the past 12-24 months around the changing consumer journey; that it is no longer linear, that the traditional funnel is no longer applicable. Brand media versus performance media ratios have been under scrutiny as ongoing research continues to illustrate that underspend in brand advertising in favour of performance (essentially digital focussed) media drives shorter term results and weakens brands’ performance and consumer relationships in the longer term.

Marketers and their agencies must re-evaluate meaningful metrics and the technologies to measure them. More than half (54%) of all brand respondents now view market penetration or customer gain as the most important barometer of marketing effectiveness, up from 44% last year, overtaking KPIs including sales, market share and ROI in popularity[5].  The ‘softer’ metrics such as awareness and social buzz are seen as less important in a post-pandemic environment.

Data management and the extraction of relevant and actionable insights is one of the biggest challenges facing marketers in 2022.  Which measurement methodologies can capture multiple metrics and drive outcomes?  Multi-touch attribution?  Last click attribution?  Econometrics / Media Mix Modelling (MMM)?  Attention KPIS?

Some key things to consider:

Barriers to entry for effectiveness research such as price and agility have becoming less challenging for many marketing and finance departments.

  • Once considered time consuming, expensive and lagging, marketing mix modelling (MMM) has now developed to be operable within weeks, with always-on live models able to be updated with estimates and benchmarks to facilitate real-time optimization.
  • More than four-in-ten (42%) marketers and agencies now use MMM, up from 35% a year ago,
  • 18% are using econometrics, up from 17%
  • Attribution modelling is now used by a third of brands (34%), despite challenges around cookie data

 

[1] eMarketer October 2021

[2] Global Ad Trends Study – GWI & WARC 2021

[3] Peter Field, IPA EffWorks October 2021

[4] WARC: Beyond Omnichannel retail to Convergent Commerce Dec 2021

[5] WARC’s Global Marketer’s Toolkit 2022

Sarah Keith in MediaWeek on media spend & running an agency during Covid

Posted on November 30, 2021 by - General News, Homepage

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Six months after Paykel Media came Involved, Keith has been adding clients and staff.

Mediaweek last spoke to media agency chief Sarah Keith (above) as she oversaw the rebrand of Paykel Media to Involved Media. In the past six months, with the rebrand behind them, she and the team have been busy growing the business.

Keith joined Involved as managing director 12 months ago. When asked if the rebrand gave her a deeper understanding of the challenges of a rebrand, she told Mediaweek:

“Ours was actually simpler than I thought it might be. We had a clear concept of wanting to be an egoless agency. After coming from a large holding company, I wanted to put the clients at the centre of everything we did.

“To do that properly you have to be egoless and take your name off the door. Once that became clear it was an easy decision to make.” Keith added there was not a lot to change after the brand colours had already been changed after Active Media acquired Paykel Media in 2019. “It was really more of a rename than a rebrand.”

After launching the company 22 years ago, Tony Pakel is now head of agency partnerships at the agency.

Client wins

Keith: “We have had a good year. Bear in mind we have been in Covid and we have small to medium-sized Australian businesses. We won a piece of business for Westbourne College, a medical cannabis dispensing clinic Relief, a Newcastle B2B fencing company called Infrabuild and we also picked up Nordic Track which we were really proud to launch during the Olympics.”

The agency billings are up year-on-year. Keith added, “Not particularly hard after the year we all had in 2020!”

involved media

New to Involved in 20921: (L to R) Cristina Spizzica, Sophie Carkeek and Susan Reid

Finding industry staff

Attracting specialist media agency staff has been a challenge for many, something that was also a challenge for Keith. “It is really tough but we have managed to onboard staff through the pandemic. I have consolidated the management team and appointed a head of digital, a head of strategy, two senior group account directors and a new business director.”

Involved is a member of the MFA, with Keith noting it had been terrific for the support from the industry body during the pandemic. “Members got one of the best presentations about Covid from Doctor Norman Swan who spoke about what to expect from staff returning to the office. It was amongst the most useful pieces of information we have had in the past year.”

Involved at home

“We actually moved offices during the second Sydney lockdown,” explained Keith. “We moved into a custom-built space and the timing allowed me to plan for what we’d need in a hybrid environment. We changed the plan slightly and created more small spaces where one or two people could work with a video screen. We have moved to hybrid working and we will never be moving back again to 100% in the office. Everyone has flexible days and we are pretty much splitting time between home and the offices 50/50.”

2022 outlook

Keith shares the views of many working in the media buying and selling industry. “2022 will be huge. When travel comes back it will make a big difference and we anticipate strong spending around a federal election.

“There is still some concern about different channels. The TV networks have really talked up next year and talked up demand. I have heard some concerns about television inflation and there are questions regarding how far out people will need to book and the access to quality.

“Most media channels will probably benefit next year from the overflow from television.”

Regarding the recovery in outdoor, Keith has been speaking with out-of-home companies about the impact of Covid on commuting numbers in 2021. “We feel the support from places like the City of Sydney as they encourage people returning to cities is going to ensure that cities remain strong and vibrant and places for people to gather.”

Keith said Involved invests in digital when it suits its clients, yet it hasn’t been seeing any reason to alter any of its video spend split back to traditional networks. “Where the networks are doing an incredible job is with BVOD products which they can now push because they are measuring it with VOZ. BVOD should be a winner next year.”

Industry Profile in AdNews – Tony Paykel Head of Agency Partnerships

Posted on October 19, 2021 by - General News

Tony Paykel

Published in AdNews 

AdNews Industry Profile takes a look at some of the professionals working across the advertising, adtech, marketing and media sector in Australia. It aims to shed light on the varying roles and companies across the buzzing industry.

This week AdNews spoke to Involved Media head of agency partnerships Tony Paykel.

Time in current role:
Well, it depends on what role you mean! I set up Paykel Media in 1999, with the Transact business a key part of our offering from the start. Paykel Media became part of Active International Australia in 2019 and it was reborn as Involved Media in March this year.

How would you describe what the company does?
At its core, Transact provides billing services for clients. Over the years, more than $500 million of advertising bookings have been trusted to Transact to process, reconcile and pay media suppliers. Our offer is that we provide a competitive edge for small to medium-size companies that want to mostly focus on the front-end, that is, developing strategy and implementing campaigns, while we look after the back-end, being systems, processes and finance accountability. It’s not glamorous, but it’s important.

What do you do day-to-day?
The role is very much a “stay in touch” one – talking with clients and agency partners, with the media to assess market opportunities, and liaising internally with our tech and finance teams to ensure our processes remain up to date and delivery to clients remains on schedule.

I like the process side of the business: the fast-moving pace of it and the ability to provide a service that really helps businesses and agencies get a lot off their plate, so they can take the time to develop and grow.

Define your job in one word:
Rewarding.

I got into media because:
I was doing a marketing degree (a long time ago!) and one of the units offered was advertising. The campus was offering an undergraduate traffic manager position in an agency in Melbourne. I applied but came second. It made me determined to come first when I applied for my next role!

What’s the biggest challenge you face in your role?
I’d say convincing some people that the benefits of what we do and can provide for them are very real and easily achievable. It’s like anything really – if you don’t know about something, you don’t know what you may find …!

What’s the biggest industry-wide challenge you’d like to see tackled?
I think things have really stepped up in recent years – equality across many areas, work-life balance, education of new industry entrants, industry push around international workers, etc – they have all been addressed in some way.

Right now, the biggest thing our industry (and all others) face is the challenge of re-integrating our workforces between home and the office to ensure that both team culture and best-of-breed thinking remain in place to ensure that we continue to produce the best work we can for our clients.

Previous industry-related companies you have worked at:
I’ve always been in media. Before I started Paykel Media, I spent almost 20 years in larger media agencies, including George Patterson, J. Walter Thompson and McCann Erickson.

Who has been a great mentor to you and why?
No mentors really, but arguably I owe it to the first bosses I ever had way back in Melbourne in the 1980s – Robert Chard, Joan Ryan and Peter Davy. They guided me and taught me about the business during my formative years in agencyland.

But those I truly admire are the people who have stepped out and set up and run their own businesses and taken on all the risks and rewards that come with that.

Words of advice for someone wanting a job like yours:
Be prepared to be humble, grateful and appreciative of the business clients/agencies bring to us – and be genuinely interested in their success.

If I wasn’t doing this for a living, I’d be:
Living in a villa in France or Italy.

My mantra is:
There is no problem large or small that can’t be overcome. There is always a solution, it’s just a matter of finding it.

My favourite advert is:
NordicTrack Fitness Equipment – perfect opportunity right now to promote with all of us currently stuck at home in lockdown.

Music and TV streaming habits. What do you subscribe to?
TV: Netflix, SBS On Demand. Music: YouTube Music performances, Spotify, iTunes.

Tell us one thing people at work don’t know about you:
I can juggle and play the guitar, but usually not at the same time!

The power of two – Releaf Group appoints Involved Media and DOFT

Posted on October 14, 2021 by - Digital Media, General News, Out of home (OOH)

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Published in AdNews and B&T

Two leading marketing services companies, independent media agency Involved Media and content agency Department Of The Future (DOTF), have joined forces to work with Releaf Group.

A joint pitch by Involved Media and DOTF has seen the companies appointed to handle creative strategy and campaigns and media strategy, planning and buying for the fast-growing medical group.

Releaf Group is Australia’s first dedicated clinic and dispensary franchise group formed to simplify the consultation process and access to medicine for patients in need. Its clinics offer a range of services including orthodox medical services, medicinal cannabis prescribing, allied health services, pharmacy, and a retail dispensary carrying supplements and health foods.

Established in 1999 as Paykel Media, Involved Media is one of Australia’s leading independent media agencies with offices in both Sydney and Melbourne. It provides expert media strategy, planning and buying services, delivering exceptional results for its growing roster of clients.

DOTF is a premium content agency specialising in strategy, creative, and video production. It has over 10 years’ experience with audiences across industries including education, entertainment and music.

Releaf Group Marketing Director, Luke McKenzie, said: “Working in conjunction with Involved Media and DOTF has enabled us at Releaf Group to increase our brand awareness rapidly. We’ve seen significant uptake in patient enquiries and franchise interest nationally in the wake of their campaign.”

Involved Media Group Managing Director, Sarah Keith, said: “We are excited to welcome Releaf Group to our business and delighted to be working with DOTF.

“Releaf and DOTF are successful, growing businesses that understand the power of marketing and the power of working with partners that are agile and future-focused, particularly given the times we are living in.

“Involved Media know that the best client results come with synergy across media and creative for any brief. We are incredibly excited about the work we are doing with Releaf and about taking Releaf and our partnership with DOTF to the next level,” she said.

DOTF Managing Director, Ivan Gomez, said: “Working with Involved Media as one team had massive benefits as we adapted our creative and campaign assets across the different touchpoints, from OOH and print to radio and digital. There was nothing better than getting a call from the client after the first week saying the campaign had paid for itself.”

 

Jessica Torstensson joins Involved Media

Posted on August 30, 2021 by - General News, Homepage

Jessica Torstensson

Media Release

Leading independent media agency Involved Media today announced the appointment of Jessica Torstensson as Group Account Director, effective immediately. A media professional with more than 15 years’ experience in Europe and Australia, Jessica will play a key role in the expansion of the digital, strategy, planning and client service capabilities of Involved Media’s Sydney office.

She will report to Involved Media Managing Director, Sarah Keith. Jessica joins Involved Media from CHE Proximity’s Sydney agency, where she was Strategy and Experience Director. In that role, she developed integrated marketing strategies and tactical plans for a range of blue-chip clients, aligning creative, data, tech and media. Before CHE Proximity, Jessica’s roles included Media Director at Bohemia Sydney, Group Business Director at Wavemaker Sydney, and Client Lead at OMD Sydney. She started her career in advertising and media companies in Sweden before moving to Australia in 2016.

The appointment of Jessica follows the addition of several other senior executives to Involved Media’s Sydney and Melbourne agencies this year, including Daniel Hojnik as Head of Strategy and Planning, Susan Reid as New Business Development Director, Sophie Carkeek as Group Account Director, and Cristina Spizzica as Digital Strategist. Sarah Keith said: “I’m thrilled to welcome Jessica to the team.

She is a dynamic, results-driven senior client lead and digital expert, with a passion for – and proven track record of – driving business and generating true value for her clients. “The Involved Media team is growing, as we expand our services and offerings to meet the evolving needs of our clients and help them become even more successful.” Jessica said: “I am so excited to join Sarah and the team. I’m delighted this opportunity came up. I am ecstatic to be a part of Involved Media’s exciting journey ahead. I can’t wait to see where it will take us.”

Cameron Swan joins Active International UK – Sarah Keith named Group Managing Director, Active International Australia and Involved Media

Posted on May 10, 2021 by - General News, Homepage

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Active International today announced the appointment of Cameron Swan as managing director of Active International UK.

Cameron will relocate from Sydney, where he is Group Managing Director of Active International Australia and Involved Media, to London in July and take up his role at a date to be advised. He will report to Active International Chief Executive Officer, Dean Wilson.

Cameron joined Active International Australia in 2009 and was appointed Managing Director in 2015. He was appointed to his current role in 2019, following Active International’s acquisition of the leading independent media agency Paykel Media. Paykel Media was renamed Involved Media in March 2021.

As a result of Cameron’s promotion, Involved Media Managing Director, Sarah Keith, will take on the role of Group Managing Director, Active International Australia and Involved Media. The new structure will see Involved Media continue to grow its team, with more senior hires to come.

Sarah joined Paykel Media in November 2020 from Publicis Media Exchange, where she was Managing Director. Her career includes senior roles at Network 10, Fairfax Media, Fox Sports, SBS, Austereo and Channel 4 in the UK.

Under Cameron’s direction, Active International has become Australia’s largest independent corporate trade and financial solution business. The global company has operations across 14 countries, with more than 600 commercial, marketing and media experts.

In April this year, Active International Australia was honoured with sixth place in the media and marketing category of the AFR BOSS Best Places to Work awards. The awards recognise organisations that are pioneering best practice in areas such as well-being, flexibility, equality, and workplace policies and practices.

Cameron said: “Obviously moving the family to the UK is a big decision but it’s one we are all very excited about. I’m lucky enough to be working for a company that offers such opportunities, has a strong leadership focus, cares about its people and provides opportunities to ensure Activians continue to develop and grow within the business.

“The UK team is commercially strong, innovative and passionate, which makes the Active offering compelling for any brand across every category. I look forward to joining the team and working with them to continue the growth and trajectory of the UK business.

“The Australian business is in safe hands. Sarah has shown incredible leadership, is commercially driven and has a growth mindset. She will lead our Australian team with great enthusiasm and bring a fresh perspective to every part of our operations,” he said.

Sarah said: “Cameron has played an integral part in building the Australian business to where it is today. I’m inheriting a strong and financially healthy business, with a team of talented, passionate and driven people.

“I’m thrilled about the opportunity to run the Active business in Australia. Active is one of the most agile and innovative businesses I have come across and is always ready to take the next step, to transform and create bespoke solutions that deliver real results to clients.

“Involved Media is performing very strongly in 2021, with the addition of several new senior executive appointments in recent months and more to come. At the same time, we are growing the Involved Media’s digital marketing offering to better service our clients’ needs,” she said.

“Active International and Involved Media will continue to run as separate businesses, but their paths will still cross when clients seek a holistic approach to media advertising and financial solutions to support their media investment.”

Involved Media Adds Key New Executives

Posted on May 5, 2021 by - General News

Christina-Sophie-Susan

Today we announced the appointment of three key new executives as part of the ongoing expansion of its business.

Susan Reid joins Involved Media as New Business Development Director. Based in Sydney, she will work closely with Managing Director Sarah Keith.

With more than 20 years’ experience in Australia and the United States, Susan brings strengths in areas including strategic media and content partnerships, digital and print publishing, radio and market research. She was most recently a Group Business Manager at Nine Network and has also held senior roles at Australian Community Media and Nielsen.

Involved Media has appointed Sophie Carkeek as Group Account Director, based in Melbourne. Sophie has held strategy, planning and client service roles at MediaCom Australia, Cole Media, Wavemaker and Dentsu X, working across the retail, government and fast-moving consumer goods sectors.

Cristina Spizzica has also joined Involved Media’s Melbourne agency as Digital Strategist, reporting to Head of Strategy and Planning, Dan Hojnik. Previously Digital Investment Manager at MediaCom Australia, Cristina will manage the strategic development of integrated digital-led campaigns for both existing and new clients.

Sarah Keith said: “I’m delighted to welcome Susan, Sophie and Cristina to the Involved Media team. All three bring unique and valuable experience and skills to our business and our clients, and their appointments are further evidence of our ongoing investment in new talent and new offerings.

“The fact Sophie and Cristina are based in Melbourne recognises our valued and growing client base in Victoria.”

Paykel Media Evolves Into Involved Media

Posted on March 15, 2021 by - General News, Homepage

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After more than two decades as one of Australia’s most respected and effective independent media agencies, Paykel Media is proud to announce its new name: Involved Media. The name change is the latest step in the evolution of the agency, which was established 22 years ago by Tony Paykel.

The launch of Involved Media follows the acquisition of Paykel Media by Active International in 2019 and the appointment of Sarah Keith as Managing Director in November 2020.

It Sarah Keith said: “The arrival of Involved Media is much more than simply a name change.

“The new name clearly reflects our DNA. As an independent, we have always been ambitious, nimble and razor-sharp focused on being closely involved with our clients’ business.

“Over the past two years, our business has evolved and we have become even more of a challenger brand. We have invested in new services and new people –including appointing Dan Hojnik early this year to the new role of Head of Strategy and Planning – to strengthen our reputation as the most trusted, client focused media agency in Australia,” she said.

Tony Paykel, Head of Agency Partnerships, Involved Media, said: “It’s time for a new name to highlight the exciting changes here and the great work we are doing for our clients.

“I have full trust in Sarah leading the team and our clients to new heights. Since the Active International deal, my focus has been on building Transact, our billing and processing service that brings into one place all the elements of booking and paying for advertising. It is a smart way of doing business and something I’m extremely passionate about.”

Cameron Swan, Group Managing Director, Active International and Involved Media, said: “We always operate with a ‘what’s next’ approach to our business and strive to be agile, innovative and constantly improving what we do for clients.

“The launch of Involved Media is part of that strategy. We are intimately involved with our clients and our name reflects that.

“The agency has been built on the promise of a trusted advice that is results driven – and we have our clients’ success to prove it. I’m excited for what’s next for Involved Media and our clients,” he said.

Ms Keith said flexibility, innovation and close relationships with key media and data experts were important parts of the Involved Media strategy.

“By being partner-agnostic, we can leverage best-in-class technology and talent for our clients,” she said.

“The world of data and technology is changing quickly. The typical agency response has been to over-invest in specific systems or technologies, in line with their group deals, to maximise efficiency.

“That is not Involved Media’s approach. We are committed to working with whoever it takes to deliver the best results possible. Whenever our clients’ needs or data regulations change, we will have the flexibility to adapt and work with different partners and technologies immediately,” Ms Keith said.

We made it!

Posted on February 4, 2021 by - General News, Insights, Uncategorised

We made it.
First of all, we understand that 2020 was something that none of us could foresee and a year like no other, with people impacted both personally and professionally. But together we made it through.

We are so proud of all our clients who have shown resilience and agility throughout last year, who persevered alongside us in order to propel us all forward. We can now say with complete confidence: let’s get back to business.

Here at Paykel we saw 2020 as an opportunity to rejuvenate our brand, expand our talented team, and really set ourselves up to service you in a bigger and better way than ever before.

A Quick Recap…
Last November, we shared the exciting news that Sarah Keith had joined our team as the new Managing Director.

She kicked off with some important words:

“I see an enormous opportunity for growth for Paykel Media and its clients. The potential is real. My aim is to go beyond what’s expected from an indie in Australia.”

More agility less bureaucracy

Sarah talked to Mi3 all things media and shouted out for more agility and less bureaucracy.
Paykel is seeking partnership opportunities across e-commerce, production and content creation in bid to broaden our offer to our clients, and continues to focus on alternative media channels for clients looking beyond TV, Facebook and Google.

“There’s no doubt clients are looking for not just expertise but also the responsiveness from their agency partners. That’s where being part of an independent business has its advantages.” Sarah Keith, Managing Director, Paykel Media.

Read it here.

Plans for clients and agency growth

Sarah Keith took the opportunity to discuss in MediaWeek how being small and independent really gives us flexibility in terms of what we can do for clients.

We are looking to see how we can accelerate the growth and success of our clients with new media, new media ideas and new media partnerships, while still holding true to our long-standing business relationships.

Read it here.

Why AI-powered e-commerce and QR codes are going to be massive in 2021

Who could have foreseen that the QR code would come into its own, or that linear TV audiences would grow, or that Netflix would trial a linear channel in France because consumers have “decision fatigue”?

We took stock of what was learnt and what changes might be here to stay and Sarah predicted what is going to be massive this year.

Read it here.

Sarah Keith on how indies can offer greater transparency, and why price isn’t everything

At Paykel, we strongly believe that independent agencies like ours should offer greater transparency to clients. That is what we stand for.

We deliver results with honesty and transparency. We can build a level of trust with clients that larger agencies can’t often match.

Why linear programming will bring more viewers to Netflix’s content.

Why has a company whose entire brand is built around reinventing television adopted a viewing experience that dates back to the 1950s? Netflix’s foray into linear programming in France had us intrigued.

Sarah discussed why linear programming will bring more viewers to Netflix’s content.

Read it here.

This week we talked about “ad loads” with Mi3.

Ad loads: BVOD and DOOH need to avoid pay TV’s mistakes

Broadcast Video on Demand (BVOD) and Digital Out-of-Home (DOOH) have grown rapidly in terms of ad revenue and popularity. But it’s not all good news. We explain why managing ad inventory is just as important to advertising effectiveness.

Read it here.

Paykel Media Adds New Head of Strategy and Planning

Posted on November 26, 2020 by - General News

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Paykel Media, one of Australia’s most respected independent media agencies, today announced the appointment of Dan Hojnik to the new role of Head of Strategy and Planning.

Dan will start at Paykel Media on 4 January. Based in Melbourne, he will report to Sarah Keith, who joined Paykel Media as national Managing Director in early November, based in Sydney.

Dan was previously Head of Planning at the London media agency The Specialist Works, working with clients including AO.com, LloydsPharmacy, Boohoo Group and HomeServe.

Before The Specialists Works, Dan worked at Carat UK, UM Melbourne and Initiative Melbourne.

Sarah said: “I’m thrilled to welcome Dan to this important new role and the Paykel Media team. He is an excellent strategic thinker and his experience, talent and enthusiasm will make him a major asset for our clients.

“Dan’s appointment is a stepping stone in our ongoing investment in building on Paykel Media’s extraordinary talent, client service, close relationships with Australia’s biggest media owners and our upfront, results-focused media approach. As an independent, we are very close to our clients and can move quickly when we see an opportunity to expand our offering.”

Dan said: “It was important for me to find an agency that saw value in developing its strategic product in line with the evolving needs of its current and future clients amidst the labyrinths that are today’s consumer journeys.

“I am privileged to be welcomed into the Paykel Media family and incredibly excited to be working with Sarah and the team to evolve their strategic proposition. It’s certainly an interesting time to move back to Australia but I’m thrilled to bring my experience home working for an agency whose future I genuinely believe in.”