Sergio Lopez Ferrero’s Post

The creative duo, Mandie van der Merwe and Avish Gordhan, brings with them 20 years of experience to lead Saatchi & Saatchi Australia’s creative offering. Dave Bowman, chief creative officer at Publicis Groupe ANZ, said, "I am beyond excited to be able to bring Mandie and Avish onboard to lead Saatchi & Saatchi’s creative offering. With their unique people skills, strategic prowess, and creative firepower, I can’t wait to see what these two amazingly talented new-world creatives make possible at the intersection of storytelling, data, technology, and media." Commenting on the appointment, Patrick Rowe, CEO at Saatchi & Saatchi Australia, said, "Why get one Chief Creative Officer when you can get two with an awards list as long as your arm? More importantly, they understand the role creative thinking plays in a new integrated world and will be a driving force for change. We couldn’t be more excited that they’re joining our team." #leadership #appointment #australia ------- -[Conference] MARKETECH APAC's "What’s NEXT 2023: Marketing in Malaysia" will feature industry discussions from industry leaders from brands such as AEON, Astro, CelcomDigi, Gentari, Intercontinental, PropertyGuru, Secret Recipe, and Valiram on AI, customer experience, influencer marketing, digital advertising, among others. Learn more about how you can be part of the discussion here: https://bit.ly/47lsnQf -[Webinar] Hear from industry leaders from Accenture, Infobip, Cashrewards, and Radarr on how you can enhance customer interactions, streamline communication channels, and deliver personalised experiences. Register to our "CX Revolution: Leveraging AI Tech for Seamless Customer Experience" webinar Now: https://bit.ly/3OX9oE9

At the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity in 2018, at least two of the big multinational holding companies had the same pitch. The Paris-based Publicis Groupe and the Japanese giant Dentsu promised to simplify their balkanized structures and transform themselves into unified platforms for their clients. It was a compelling story. But when you’re dealing with companies in the marketing business, it’s always a bit hard to figure out what’s real and what’s … marketing. Now, six years later, Publicis appears to have delivered on its promise. The company’s stock performance has separated dramatically from its peers since 2020, a shift that reflects its success winning clients and an industry confidence it can keep doing that. Dentsu and the other key companies in the space find themselves chasing the Groupe. https://lnkd.in/epVcsRnF

If you’ve never worked in account management, It can be hard to understand how you get strategy scoped onto projects. Understanding how to scope strategy was what helped me grow BBDO Comms Planning department from 4 to 17 strategists. I will be sharing how to do this at a free upcoming workshop: 4 Elements Of An Award Winning Strategy Department. Sign up link in the comments.

A simpler offering is more powerful and relevant. An example of how ad agencies evolve to deliver value to clients. The new VML combines the legacy from Y&R , VML, Wunderman and J. Walter Thompson, an agency I worked for early in my journey and I was later a client of for years. An ad giant that gave me lots of learning, training and insight. This article describes the benefits of this merger. In my view, it is fueled by the right strategic reasons: the client. When a brand offers what the client wants, it stays relevant. In our days, it is creativity, data (AI) capability and ECommerce. Sometimes this means that century-old agency brand names will no longer exist. And, in this case, it sounds like the right business decision. Exciting to see hit the ad business continues to evolve with the client needs as the driving force. #Marketing #branding #management #mentoring

If you’ve never worked in account management, It can be hard to understand how you get strategy scoped onto projects. Understanding how to scope strategy was what helped me grow BBDO Comms Planning department from 4 to 17 strategists. I will be sharing how to do this at a free upcoming workshop: 4 Elements Of An Award Winning Strategy Department. Link in the comments.

Simon Wassef is back at Clemenger BBDO after having first worked at the company 21 years ago as a junior account planner. In his new role, he will lead strategy and customer experience across the Clemenger business. Dani Bassil, CEO at Clemenger BBDO, "Simon really is one of the best in the business; if not the best. He’s worked everywhere I’ve ever wanted to work, R/GA London, Sid Lee Amsterdam, and ChiatDay LA. The fact he’s bringing all this experience to Clemenger is a game changer for us. The experience is the brand, and the fact he is so expert in both realms is exactly what we’ve needed in this leadership role. Besides being one of the smartest people I’ve met, he’s funny and kind. And he’s finally coming back to Clems. I’m so excited." Of his new appointment, Wassef said, "When Clemenger calls, you have to answer. Let’s go." #seniorappointment #marketing #australia ------- -[Conference] MARKETECH APAC's "What’s NEXT 2023: Marketing in Malaysia" will feature industry discussions from industry leaders from brands such as AEON, Astro, CelcomDigi, Gentari, Intercontinental, PropertyGuru, Secret Recipe, and Valiram on AI, customer experience, influencer marketing, digital advertising, among others. Learn more about how you can be part of the discussion here: https://bit.ly/47lsnQf -[Webinar] Hear from industry leaders from Accenture, Infobip, Cashrewards, and Radarr on how you can enhance customer interactions, streamline communication channels, and deliver personalised experiences. Register to our "CX Revolution: Leveraging AI Tech for Seamless Customer Experience" webinar Now: https://bit.ly/3OX9oE9

Did you know that Six dominates the advertising world? 🌍 WPP Omnicom Publicis Havas Interpublic Group (IPG) Dentsu Creative collectively earned $68.9 billion in 2023! 🚀 These giants manage countless agencies and work with top brands like Coca-Cola, Apple, and Toyota. Want to dive into the details? 📈💡 Check out the full scoop here: https://lnkd.in/dZfyXHU4 #Advertising #Marketing #BigSix

💡 Clients want more 💡 Recently, I've noticed a troubling trend among agencies when talking with brands and clients. Creative agencies (not all agencies of course) are  taking bold, risky approaches with their clients, risking relationships in a volatile market. It's a challenging time for agencies to secure client investment, yet their tactics are often misguided. Key issues I've observed: Inappropriate responses to digital briefs: Agencies are ignoring clients' requests for innovative digital ideas, opting instead for traditional TV commercials (TVCs). This happens even when clients specify that the campaign won't be aired on TV and is purely digital. Frequently, the rationale given is that having TV-ready assets is beneficial, just in case the campaign ends up being aired on television. Lack of direct client-agency team interaction: Creative teams develop fresh ideas but aren't allowed to interact with clients. This approach hinders relationship building and trust, essential for long-term partnerships and unlocking new budgets. Is this really the best approach? I have my doubts. Agencies should focus on creatively responding to the briefs, especially in digital and social media realms, where brand building is equally potent without relying on TVC formats. Challenge the brief and create unexpected ideas (yes!), rather than do what you feel like doing (which often ends up in a TVC). Additionally, involving creative teams in client interactions can foster trust and make it difficult for clients to consider switching agencies. They'll appreciate the team's work style and the collaborative magic created together. Based on my personal experience, allowing the team to present their ideas, rather than having a creative director act as the sole spokesperson, fosters trust and builds a stronger foundation with clients. Clients appreciate agencies that prioritize innovative ideas and strong relationships, valuing these over bold, risky strategies that might jeopardize their partnerships. It's time to strengthen client relationships, making it more challenging for them to consider switching partners. #creativepartnerships #Relationships #creativeideas

“Media is not just becoming a distribution vehicle or even the message. It’s the solution. As an industry, we’re not just creating new tactics, or innovating new formats, we’re building new media channels. It’s quite exciting and I think it’s never been in a healthier place.” - Chris Colter, Chief Product & Strategy Officer, Initiative Australia chats with Mediaweek Australia on industry changes through the years and how purposeful planning can drive growth and competitive advantage for clients. https://lnkd.in/gS72_Q-r IPG Mediabrands APAC

Love this POV from The Drum on the VMLY&R and Wunderman Thompson merger. We are definitely heading to a place with two-tiers of agencies: massive networks that can serve global brands, and agile, indie, integrated shops serving local, national brands. I know where I would want to work. "If clients just want to save a few quid on pumping out programmatic ads, then yeah. But the clients that want great, distinct, effective, fame-building and brand-value-generating work go to the places that have the best TALENT. The best talent wants to work somewhere interesting, motivating, and different. If you are brilliant at what you do, you can work anywhere. So, you’ll always want to work SOMEWHERE." https://lnkd.in/gjwWRyV9