Digital People - Andrew Reeves

Name:  Andrew Reeves
Works: ZenithOptimedia Melbourne
Job Title: Strategy Director Melbourne

1. Please highlight your industry experience and how, where and when you came to digital media?

Did I find digital media or did it find me? This question still puzzles me 11+ years on.  My first role was with a pioneering online ad sales organisation BMC Media (later to liquidate under the dot com crash of 2003).  I'd just returned from the UK and had just finished up a role with the BBC where I had developed a nasty little online habit as a result of a great internet connection (they weren't all good back then) and a fairly casual working environment.  

At the time an account manager role at BMC it seemed like an interesting and unusual opportunity for someone who was interested in media, advertising and the burgeoning web, but to be honest neither the recruiter nor I really knew what the job I was applying for was all about.  BMC media was definitely ahead of its time and was filled with passionate people who were making up the rules for online ad sales as they went along - $60CPM for a 120x60 button on Telstra.com anyone? 

When BMC tanked I moved over to account mgmt at HYRO trying to flog their advertising offering, this evolved into web development projects and eventually CRM's when I lost interest and eventually wound up going to Award School hoping to move into creative.  I got into the course but soon realised my creative faucet more drips than pours.

It was then my digital media career started to realise its own course; first digital media planning and buying at Carat, moving on to ZenithOptimedia a couple of years later before taking on a Digital Strategy role at ZEDO Melbourne two and a half years ago.  I was recently appointed strategy director for ZEDO Melbourne. 

2.Can you outline your current role at ZenithOptimedia - what do you actually do?

As strategy director I am responsible for the quality of our strategic output; embedding a culture of discovery and ideation, and working with the planning teams to intimately understand and develop innovative ways to connect with consumers. 

My job is really awesome and covers a broad scope of projects and clients; a given week might include developing channel plans, annual client road maps, writing social media strategies, preparing case studies, prepping an award entry or presenting media market update.  I'll probably also chuck a few posts up interesting things on the www.zo-au.com  blog, read and share research with the crew and tweet about some animated GIF's.

I also spend a lot of time with clients listening to their insights and business performance results, research findings and goals, and also with the media partners as they often have great research and insights. Inspiration and discovery comes from all over the place.

3.Can you offer a brief insight into Zenith-Optimedia, your market position and forward plans?

ZenithOptimedia is based on the proposition LiveROI. Our commitment to delivering this positioning is never more present than in way the digital business executed and manages campaigns for our clients. From the launch of Performics, our specialist performance division to our market leading adoption of DSP technology through and the launch of Audience on Demand, the business lives and breathes this mantra of effective, intelligent investment. 

Forward thinking:  the company has also shown a commitment to the existing digital knowledge base in the agency appointing former digital experts into broader roles.  This I think acknowledges the shifting focus of our client's needs and their customer's media consumption, but also presents greater opportunity for that experience to be shared and applied to staff and channels. 

4.Please share your views on the current state of the digital media market?

Over the past few years I believe I have witnessed a divide emerging between clients, campaigns, sales organisations and agency skills that represent two sides of a spectrum spanning brand & performance. Agencies have adapted to this by developing performance orientated teams and skill sets.  At the same time brand marketing orientated clients have also been working hard to create online brand experiences from immersive rich media playgrounds to social media channels. Some clients of course embrace both.  Anyway the point is that there is a degree of separation in the skills and experience the marketplace that can service these types of campaigns and tactics.  As these streams become more and more expert, and the media and tactics more complex it actually makes it harder to integrate traditional media planners as they strive to understand all these nuances. Having a broad digital skill base these days then is actually very hard to accumulate and maintain.

5.Is there any one person, digital business or sector you think we should be keeping an eye on?

I think the Connected TV App market is a really interesting one.  Its early days for sure for connected TV's but there would not be many sets sold that aren't internet connectible.  I think the opportunities this area represents will see TV sets become a lot like gaming devices in their off the shelf capability and allow for connected experiences between households.  Just imagine what social feature integration will mean for certain genres of TV programming; game shows, current affairs, and kids programming.  Applications also open your TV up to whole new streams of content. I'm constantly amazed at how quick this is growing - check out some news here http://www.appmarket.tv/

6.Can you highlight the challenges and opportunities you see in our market?

Two key challenges; people and education

Staff: Talent development and retention, this a constant battle, there is clearly more demand for digital talent than supply. There are lots of brilliant young people entering the industry, but holding onto them in a competitive market is challenging. Media people are notoriously fickle as a group, but I think it's worse than ever.  On the other end we need to ensure all staff are digitally literate and this is an ongoing process.

The opportunity is for agencies to address retention and growth through providing solid career progression, mentoring and of course training.

Education: Working in an evolving industry is exciting but with that comes a responsibility to keep internal teams and clients and partners up to date on the market, latest trends and thinking.  In my experience the training is not lacking, it's the follow through, the making sure people are quickly and effectively getting the opportunity to practise what they have been taught solidifying their new skills and knowledge.

The opportunity around education is to develop programs that are supported by career KPI's, rigour and testing to ensure the hours of training are effectively embedded and utilised.

7.What does the digital/interactive industry need to do better right now?

Acknowledge that those we see as digital specialists now might not exist (not literally) in 5 years time. The digital industry seems to focus on itself at times as a microcosm not as part of a broader communications community.

8.Can you forecast any significant trends in the digital industry over the coming 12 months?

There seems to be a wave of interest and focus building around the notion of the story or narrative. One thing I particularly like about digital is that is forces planners and strategists to consider a holistic user experience from initial impact to engagement and ultimately an outcome. So, more stories, platforms and ideas that have a longer life span than a campaign or offer are what I expect to see.

9.How do you see digital and other media evolving in the next 5 years?

Further integration of digital will mean that many more channels we still currently see as analog or traditional will include digital elements or delivery.  Radio and TV for a start will all be digital broadcast, News will migrate to devices and Outdoor sites will continue to evolve into digital screens or integrate with mobile devices based on location.  Drivers for these changes are technology and cost.

And with this digitisation comes better accountability and also touching on my point above, more due consideration for planners to look beyond the immediate impact of a connection point to the ultimate user experience/action we hope to generate. 

10. Where do you get your industry information from?

Blogs, lots of blogs and my Google reader is my key source of news.  My news feed is a healthy mix of ad industry news (both media and creative), psychological ramblings and research, cultural and lifestyle junk music, and design and technology news.   My planning colleagues, friends and peers are also always shooting things around.

11.What industry groups or networks are you a part of?

I am actually a bit of a recluse when it comes to groups and networking, I judge the IAB and MFA awards and try to get to MOMO Melbourne every now and then, but other than that I work hard and like to divert my attention from the industry on the weekend.  Our job is to understand the man on the street after all, not immerse ourselves in the ad industry.

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Thank you for your support of Digital People.  If you have any queries or feedback please get in touch - denise@mediascope.com.au or Phone:  0424 100325 - I welcome your comments