Welcome to the Digital Marketing Inner Circle

This week, Denise Shrivelle has contributed a great interview with Marcelo Silva, General Manager of GroupM Search Australia. Marcelo started his digital career in 1996 in a sales role at Ozemail – I knew him through my early days with Fairfax Online/F2. If you have been in the media segment of our industry for long enough then you will have crossed his path and know him as a great character and one of the truly nice guys. A strong search strategy has become key to online publishers and advertisers – all of us should have a good understanding of, at least, the basic principles and its position in our market.

Marcelo and his team at GroupM produce a highly informative blog which presents regular updates on search and general tips on SEO/SEM (see Q9 for a link). He also offers us a first! – an interesting insight on what he sees as the next big thing – natural language indexing (see Q4). Enjoy!

Name: Marcelo Silva

Works: GroupM Search, Australia

Job Title: General Manager

1. How, where and when did the digital industry find you?

First digital role in 1996 as Group Advertising Manager, Ozemail. Selling banners and sponsorships with my good friend Graig Galvin.

2. What is your current role and what do you actually do?

Responsible for the Search P&L across the 5 GroupM brands including Outrider, Mindshare, Maxus, MEC and Mediacom. The team consists of approximately 40 search specialists.

Along with the financial responsibility training and education is a large part of this role.

3. If you could have any job, what would it be (can be in and/or outside the industry)?

A musician – travelling the world and playing music would be nice.

4. Take a punt on the ‘next big thing’ in digital?

A couple of years back, as a marketing director; I conducted focus groups for the youth market. What became apparent was the use of language within these segments, resulting in some very insightful findings. In particular was the use grammar. E.g. Abbreviations (messenger use), sentence structure and other idiosyncrasies.

I predict ‘natural language indexing’ as the next big thing – given the variations in language across multiple segments and sub groups. It’s becoming increasingly complex for marketers to effectively communicate with their target markets and being relevant will result in more successful campaigns. I envisage this will expand across video and other digital forms.

5. Where do you see the digital industry in the next 5 years? (any forecasts and challenges)

1. Becoming the lynchpin of the entire communications mix

2. More convergence and the proliferation of user generated content.

6. How do you see other media evolving in the next 5 years?

Adapting and leveraging their core assets will be key for traditional media. For example, figure heads from TV, radio and other traditional media are blogging, Tweeting and experimenting with other social media tools. This adaption extends their brands to a wider, younger and fickle audience. For example, I hear Oprah has 1 million followers on Twitter and even the Pope is on Facebook and YouTube!

7. Where do you see the digital industry going in the next 12 months? (Particularly in light of the evolving financial situation)

Generally speaking digital will continue to be integrated into the overall mix, especially search marketing. Despite the GFC digital will be commanding a greater share of the overall pie.

Of some concern though, marketers still utilise search as a standalone direct response mechanism. Search can also build desire and should be maximised during the brand awareness phase!

Across the board I can only see upside. I recently judged the IAB award entries and I found my contemporaries to be smart, passionate and most of all patient. I think the industry is in good hands and clients are finally seeing the light.

8. Did you ever have a big digital idea you wish you pursued (or someone else’s idea you wish was yours)?

I’m a big fan of the *Memetrics offering and multivariate testing in general. When I was at ING Direct we were one of the first blue chip brands to trial the XOS tool in Australia. The results were phenomenal and subsequently the approach was rolled out to other ING international offices.

*Denise added: Memetrics Holdings Pty Limited provides testing and optimization solutions for digital marketers internationally.

9. Where do you get your industry information from?

A combination local and international sources:

- Online, magazines and papers

- I better say Google otherwise my wife will kill me.

- The Outrider blog: www.outrider.com.au/blog

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

AIMIA & IAB

This week, we are delighted to speak with Joshua Maa, Founder & Chief Executive Officer for MadHouse Inc. He was kind enough to share us his insights and views in the mobile ad network field in China.  Previously, Acting as EVP at TOM Online, Joshua directed Wireless Business & Operations and International Business Development, leading 450 professionals and contributing to over 90%+ of total company revenue, which grew to well over US$16 million monthly in 2005 and made Tom.com the largest Wireless Value-Added Service Provider by revenue in China. And prior to this he lead teams in a number of other Chinese wireless organizations.

Joshua has over 15 years of managerial experience in Greater China’s New Media, Entertainment, and Consumer Marketing industries and we are fortunate to get some of his insights.

Name: Joshua Maa
Works: MadHouse Inc.
Job Title: Founder & Chief Executive Officer

1. How, where and when did the mobile industry find you?
In 2000, I began my involvement with mobile via the content side of the industry as founding CEO of Rock Mobile, Greater China’s leading mobile music service provider. After Rock Mobile, I joined TOM Online as EVP and directed the company’s wireless business operations and international business development. In 2004, I realized that there was substantial business potential in mobile services aside from paid content downloads in areas such as mobile search, mobile payment options, etc. and that mobile marketing would play a core role both in the development of the mobile ecosystem and become an increasingly important marketing tool. I believed, and continue to believe, that the mobile internet will become one of the most effective marketing platforms, so I started MadHouse in 2006.

2. What is your current role and what do you actually do?
As the Founder and CEO of MadHouse, my job is to build Madhouse into a global mobile marketing leader and mobile advertising network.

3. If you could have any job, what would it be (can be in and/or outside the industry)?
Archaeologist or (heavy metal) guitar player.

4. Take a punt on the ‘next big thing’ in mobile advertising field?
We believe that rich media ads and ads on mobile widgets, driven by the increasing penetration of higher-end mobile phones, will become increasingly popular with advertisers. Mobile widgets provide users with easy-to-use, easy-to-install applications, and a nice mix between functions requiring internet connectivity and those utilizing phone resources. Madhouse has already created several branded mobile widgets for innovative advertisers.

5. Where do you see the mobile advertising industry in the next 5 years? (any forecasts and challenges)
I expect the mobile medium to become a must-have marketing and advertising tool for both brand and SME advertisers. I do not expect any challenges that will prevent this from happening.

6. How do you see other media evolving in the next 5 years?
Audiences will gain their information from the tri-screen (TV, PC, and Mobile) and marketing resources will be allocated accordingly.

7. Where do you see the wireless advertising industry going in the next 12 months?
We expect more advertising formats and media to emerge, especially in rich media and social network sites, and that all major internet players to integrate mobile as one of their core platforms and services.

8. What’s your big idea about MadHouse? (Your audience and the goal you’ve been paused in particular)
The MadHouse mission is to make the mobile medium one of the most effective marketing mediums in China. The MadHouse vision is to become the largest and most preferred mobile marketing partner for advertisers/agencies, and to become a global mobile marketing and advertising network leader.

9. What industry groups or networks are you a part of?
I am a Founding Member and Board Director of MMA Asia Pacific (APAC), and Chairman of that organization’s Mobile Advertising Committee APAC. MadHouse is also a member of the Great Wall Club, a mobile internet association.

This week, Denise Shrivelle has contributed a great interview with Paul Fisher, CEO of the Interactive Advertising Bureau in Australia. As we start a new financial year, with hopeful expectations for a strengthening economic environment, I thought it may be interesting to get some views from one of our major industry bodies. Through his role with the IAB, Paul is well positioned to monitor our ever evolving industry and give us some insights into the forward challenges and issues we face. Measurement, convergence and the recognition of digital as a highly viable display channel are some points he highlights – as well as the significant impact the National Broadband Network will have on the digital industry. In Q5 Paul gives his 5 year forecast predicting some actual figures on digital expenditure ($1.7 billion in 2008) and % share of all media (12% in 2007 – CEASA). He also offers us a comprehensive list of regular information sources which allow him to stay up to date with the digital landscape – (see Q9). I recommend this list to you and also wish you all a successful and prosperous new financial year.

Name: Paul Fisher
Works: IAB Australia
Job Title: CEO

1. How, where and when did the digital industry find you?

At WIN Television as a National Sales rep. One of my colleagues left and went to ninemsn and called me and said “hey, you should look at this internet thing ninemsn is doing” – that was 1999.

2. What is your current role and what do you actually do?

CEO of IAB Australia – lead the advocacy for interactive advertising by providing the tools and resources to support publishers, net works, agencies and advertisers to grow their digital businesses. I also work very closely with AIMIA, the MFA and the AFA.

3. If you could have any job, what would it be (can be in and/or outside the industry)?

Professional golfer! Or the one I have now but with 10 more staff!!

4. Take a punt on the ‘next big thing’ in digital?

In this country, the National Broadband Network!!

5. Where do you see the digital industry in the next 5 years? (any forecasts and challenges)

Faster broadband, hopefully cheaper too! More so called convergence of digital devices – video consumption will be massive online whether stored on a PVR and then watched on any of the 3 screens. Marketing and communications strategies centred around digital solutions. Media planning and buying starting with digital media then bringing in other platforms in a truly integrated way. Multi-platform audience measurement, especially TV and online and mobile. Online advertising industry will be the largest media sector with a probable 30% + share generating well over $3 billion a year in revenue for digital media businesses.

6. How do you see other media evolving in the next 5 years?

They will have to adapt their current measurement systems to include digital media. Their sales and marketing and product teams will all include digital media specialists. Their content distribution networks will adapt to include digital platforms. All media will be interactive. Copyright issues and data ownership issues will be fiercely fought over.

7. Where do you see the digital industry going in the next 12 months? (particularly in light of the evolving financial situation)

Sadly there will be more performance related advertising online. However, the branding attributes of the web will emerge as stronger than ever thought and the impact of brand advertising on search and other performance measured advertising will save the industry from death and provide all publishers of original content a reasonable return on their significant investment to create and provide for free, compelling, engaging, entertaining and informative content, be it news, sport, entertainment, lifestyle. We will move from “does advertising work on the internet?” to “show me how I can use digital as part of my media strategy”.

8. Did you ever have a big digital idea you wish you pursued (or someone else’s idea you wish was yours)?

I would still like to create an online forum for retired and/or semi-retired business professionals to mentor young entrepreneurs and up and coming executives – might not be a big idea as such, but it would make a difference, be interesting and fun.

9. Where do you get your industry information from?

Mostly from talking with people in the industry both here in AU and internationally. Online, a variety of MediaPost daily newsletters – VideoInsider, MetricsInsider, OnlinePublishingInsider, OnlineMediaDaily, Center for Media Research, IAB Smartbrief, emarketer, mumbrella, talkingdigital, Digital Ministry (of course!)

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

The global IAB network of 25 IABs across North America, Latin America, and Europe; Australian Marketing & Media Industry Forum (AMMIF).

Thanks to everyone for your continued feedback and support for these interviews on Digital Marketing Inner Circle. If you have any queries or comments, please post below.

If you are a follower of these interviews, you will know I am genuinely incredibly impressed by the passion and breadth of talent and experiences the digital industry attracts and have a great opportunity to highlight these people and hopefully inspire some of you. This week, Denise Shrivelle has contributed a great interview with Mark Pollard – truly the real deal – perhaps the digital industry’s version of the ‘triple threat’. From an entrepreneurial background where he gained hands on experience building a multi-platform niche media business, a blogger with a strong and provocative voice, he now brings his considerable know-how and hands-on insights to the corporate world through his strategy role with McCann – Sydney. In his profile Mark gives us his future trends and forecasts (see Q5) – watch out publishers!

He also offers 5 succinct areas which the digital industry can address right now (see Q7). Mark is passionate about men’s issues and wellbeing and encourages us all to see ourselves as more than our professional roles – a topic he addresses regularly in his blog, which I have linked to at the end of his profile. So, do you think Mark is a ‘digital triple threat’? – given the nature of the business he started, I bet he can even sing!

Name: Mark Pollard

Works: Often – at McCann Sydney

Job Title: Strategy Director

1. How, where and when did the digital industry find you?

I think it was in 1996 when I found 2 things that have led to so much stuff in my life: Hotmail and IRC. With Hotmail, I couldn’t believe that I could write to people without sending a letter. With IRC, I couldn’t believe that I could talk to people I didn’t even know… whenever I wanted… about stuff I was interested in.

Within a matter of months I had set up a website on Geocities (maybe Tripod as well) and was interviewing rappers overseas. I was also using IRC to promote dance parties. I think it was in my 2nd year of university that the key marketing channels for our parties were: bad A3 posters, stalls at uni, trying to get the welcome message when people logged into particular IRC channels and asking people to send around links via ICQ and email.

All of this led to me taking over the main hip hop radio show in Sydney (The Mothership Connection, 2SER) then setting up a magazine (Stealth: www.stealthmag.com) that went global.

I loved it all so much that I finished my degree off quickly to work in a digital agency for $150 a week, working on Levi’s first branded content website, Original Sin.

2. What is your current role and what do you actually do?

I am a bit of a hybrid. I do digital and brand strategy. So, I could be involved with coming up with positioning statements, brand essences, insights part of the day then thinking about information architecture, social networks and search the rest of it.

3. If you could have any job, what would it be (can be in and/or outside the industry)?

I dig what I do but my life, I hope, is more than what I do for a living. I’m really interested in manhood and education. I’d like to think that when I die I’ll have challenged some men to think differently… for the collective better.

4. Take a punt on the ‘next big thing’ in digital?

I’m actually interested in things that make more of what’s already there – taking existing data, for example, and creating new value out of it. The impact of search, social networks and mobile will be incredible. But existing (and new) data being made available to people excites me. It’s like watching the Church post-Middle Ages open its libraries.

5. How do you see the digital industry in the next 5 years? (any forecasts and challenges)

I still remember waiting for our doors to be closed at K*Grind in 2000. After the dot-com era, people left the industry, students stopped getting trained, Macquaire Bank stopped spending… Fortunately, with fast access to the internet, the proliferation of mobile and things like Twitter, Facebook and YouTube now in existence, I don’t think we’ll have a 5-year gap in skills. But here are some thoughts:

- Australian online media still needs to innovate. It’s a personal opinion that a lot of the large networks have been getting away with … not innovating. When a media agency tells me that a campaign did really well because it got above 1% click-through, “the industry average”, it makes me imitate Susan Boyle. And, yes, I understand that not all online display campaigns are about click-through, but, still… I’m begging large online media companies to innovate. Stop being ruled by archaic IT systems.

- Everyone’s digital so who do I work with? So if digital is mainstream, if people spend more time online than watching TV as they do now, if all agencies and media are digital… what happens? Generalists? Specialists? We’ll be in another cycle of slow generalisation. I think the economy is going to be crap for a while – and in this time many companies will just eat each other while others will die. Maybe it will just be about brands/companies dealing more directly with their customers.

- Professional tribes. So many digital types I know work best in small groups. I wonder if this will lead to a lot of small, agile professional collectives over large digital and mainstream agencies. It feels natural – and the economic imperative of global companies doesn’t feel as assured as it did.

- Data stoushing. Who owns the data? Wow. This nerdy number stuff that so many weren’t interested in will become fighting grounds – if it isn’t already. Agency vs agency, social network vs search engine.

- What’s the sound of a big penny dropping? Finally, search and social is getting attention from the C-Level. It is definitely interesting, however, how many marketers’ IT departments don’t let them onto YouTube or Facebook. Ummm….

6. How do you see other media evolving in the next 5 years?

I’ll state the obvious – screens will be everywhere. Then, the possibly obvious – we are all media. And, if we are all media, then brands will understand that they are also media. Further, they will understand that not only are they media but they are a distribution channel. Maybe brands will sell other stuff via their packaging… Maybe brands will cease giving money to big media companies and, instead, create their own media… despite their current thinking that this is not their core competency.

7. What does the digital industry need to do in the next 12 months?

I’ll give you 5.

1. Think strategically
2. Be usefully measurable
3. Make ideas – before executions
4. Stop talking bullshit
5. Stop flashturbating

8. What tips can you give to aspiring web entrepreneurs or those entering our industry?

Solve problems in interesting ways then work your arse off. Continually answer the questions: “How am I different?” and “How am I adding value to the environments I’m in?”

9. Where do you get your industry information from?

The internet.

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

I’m on the Account Planning Group committee and AFA Digital Committee.

You can see Mark’s blog by going to – http://www.markpollard.net/ and follow him on twitter here – www.twitter.com/markpollard

Have any comments or feedback on this interview then please post a comment below