Media News

Mar 20, 2018

Campaign360 liveblog: Takeaways, videos, photos

Observations, takeaways and video coverage of today's conference in Singapore discussing the business of media.

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We have a team of six in Singapore today to cover Campaign360. We'll be posting takeaways, images and videos right here in liveblog style (newest stuff at the top). We'll also be doing live interviews on Facebook with some of the brand and media leaders gathered here today.

Facebook Live chat with Stephan Loerke of the World Federation of Advertisers
Posted at 5:56 pm

Pithy takes on ad fraud, viewability, more
Posted at 5:50 pm

L-R: Stephan Loerke, David Porter

David Porter of Unilever had pithy takes on a number of critical issues in a discussion moderated by Stephen Loerke of the WFA.

On Viewability: Porter spoke for half a second before covering half his face with a piece of paper, to poke fun at the viewability standard that has taken hold in the industry. At the same time, he commented, "If we want 100% viewability, we'd better be giving the public 100% viewable material."
On transparency and ad fraud: "Where there's mystery, there's margin," he said, adding that when you aren't sure whether you need an auditor or a private detective, there's a problem.
On GDPR: We shouldn't look at it as something the government is doing to us, but see it as something the government is doing to protect the public, and if we don't come along, the public won't stay with us.
On whether agencies can change to serve clients better: "If anyone can change it's the agency world", he said, because agencies have always been amazing shape-shifters. "I have faith it can happen, but it needs to start happening quickly. If we're still talking about these issues next year, then maybe it's not happening fast enough."

Format specific content wins everytime on Snapchat

Speaking to Campaign Asia-Pacific, Kathryn Carter, general manager of ANZ at Snapchat said that brands, agencies, and publishers are increasingly creating and publishing content built around mobile consumption.

She said that while Snap's data suggests that globally people spend three hours a day consuming content, in Singapore that data point suggests 7 hours a day.

"So that's obviously an audience which is over-indexing compared with traditional forms of media," said Carter. "The more that brands and publishers are able to create content in a purpose-filled fashion, the more that we are seeing from engagement and results off the back of it."

She spoke about augmented reality (AR) and an observation that marketers are able to prove out results, effectiveness, and sales when they invest in AR from a performance perspective rather than an innovation perspective or let it sit in a test budget.

Speaking candidly, Carter has not seen a mindset shift with regards to AR as a marketing channel yet, adding that the advertisers that have relied on Snapchat to run AR-based campaigns would not have achieved the same experiential consumer engagements had they simply run an ad on the platform.

With 18 months operating in the APAC region, Carter said that Snapchat is very encouraged with the variables that are factors for growing Snapchat from an audience and commercial perspective.

"There are quite a lot of nuances in markets in terms of engagement with the platform and what we are seeing from a brand perspective," she said.

She spoke of Singapore in high regard, referring to it as being in the top six markets in terms of internet connectivity, smartphone penetration, and broader industry strength & maturity.

Carter urged marketers to test and iterate different formats and approaches while remaining mobile first in order to find success.

Evolution not revolution
Posted at 5.30pm

The road ahead is bumpy but the future is a bright one for media agencies in APAC, according to Stephen Li, APAC CEO at OMD. "The more complex our business becomes, the more opportunities there are," he said, adding that media agencies still have an "absolutely paramount" role in being the "key discriminators" about what engages consumers.

For Kyoko Matshushita, APAC CEO at Essence, it's a simple equation. "If we do the right thing for marketers, we’re doing the right thing for consumers," she said. Moving from a gaming company to the media agency world, she said things felt very slow, which was good in parts and bad in others.

"Certain things need time, like strategic discussions with marketers; don’t rush them," she said. "But lots of processes can be automated. Agencies are still doing lots of the manual work."

The key to driving the change to ensure media agencies are fully prepared for the ~~challenges~~ opportunities ahead is having leadership, well, take the lead, said Mike Amour, chairman and CEO APAC at Havas Group.

"If we take it back to basics, agencies need to combine insights and strategy with data to create great work for clients," he said. "There's still so much opportunity for agencies to move into."

Where is the trust?
Posted at 4.45 pm

(L-r): Arun Kumar, Mark Rogers and Liz Miller

“We are living through a crisis of trust” stated Mark Rogers, vice president APAC at The Wall Street Journal, during a session debating what the next three years might look like if considered through the lens of the customer.

It’s a crisis that extends to brands, publishers and platforms, agreed panel host Liz Miller, SVP of marketing for the CMO Council, and may deepen given recent news stories - particularly concerning Cambridge Analytica and allegations that the firm harvested data from Facebook that may have influenced the American elections.

But now is no time to play a blame game, said Miller: more candid conversations between all players in media are needed going forward. “It’s easy for us marketers to turn to agencies and say ‘you missed the mark’ or to publishing partners and say ‘you’re too expensive, you’re done’. But did we have the conversation about what our business goals were, or what our customer expectations were, before we started? Or only at the end when we want to fire everyone?”

Facebook Live chat with Mark Rogers of The Wall Street Journal
Posted at 4:23 pm

Just finished: Facebook Live conversation with the very caffeinated, animated Liz Miller of the CMO Council
Posted at 3:54 pm

The view not (yet) from the top
Posted at 3:19 pm

(L-r): Rylie Huang, Richard Zaw and Joy Q. Wang with Zarka Khan-Iltaf of IPG Mediabrands

'You’ve got job offers from Facebook/Google and a media agency. Who do you choose and why?' Relative new joiners to the industry handled this question during a panel session designed to give an insight into what motivates them and what factors would make them keen to stay with their current companies.

“It depends on the role,” was the tactful answer given by Joy Q. Wang, new business and marketing manager at Mindshare. “Also the growth. Also the hiring manager, because that will tell you a lot about how the team will be.”

Rylie Huang, a strategy executive at PHD for just over two years, said that while money is a factor in the top five things she and her friends look for in a new job, the other, equally important four things are: “a good team, a supportive boss, the scope of the work and even the client.”

Alibaba the brand builder?
Posted at 3:15 pm

While one marketer earlier in the day suggested that brands can get buried on the big ecommerce platforms, Christina Lu, general manager at Alibaba devoted much of her appearance to try to dispel the sentiment, calling her platform “the ultimate brand builder as well.”

Lu pointed to a major FMCG brand that was looking for local optimization of a new brand launch in China with the help of an agency. She says that when they came to Alibaba to validate their brand proposition, Alibaba’s data found they were actually targeting the wrong consumers and the campaign was instead pointed in a new direction.

Platforms that allow mass personalisation, she said, is what brand building is all about.

Watch: Facebook Live conversation with David Guerreo of BBDO Guerrero
Posted at 2:07 pm

The voices of creativity
Posted at 1:55 pm

“70% of an ad’s effectiveness comes down to the creative, that’s what people react to.” Matty Burton, creative chief APAC at Google Zoo, launched the session pitching creativity against technology with this point, going on to tell the audience that the principles of attracting attention haven’t changed since the days when print advertising and posters were the main focus.

David Guerrero, chairman and chief creative officer of BBDO Guerrero in the Philippines, took up the idea: “We want to do highly crafted messages but we’re not necessarily getting paid to do it. What I hold on to and what’s consistent is that as creatives we need clarity and consistency in what the brand stands for.”

Do creatives think machines will take us anywhere new? Valerie Madon, chief creative officer of Havas Southeast Asia, thinks not, on the whole. “We all have a gift to find something surprising and out of the norm,” said Madon. “I’m not sure machines are taught to find the out of the norm. Machines give you the safety net, that’s why agencies have the point of difference.”

Watch our just-concluded Facebook Live chat with Matty Burton of Google Zoo
Posted at 1:20 pm

Disrupt or die? Not so fast
Posted at 1:15 pm

Most of the people in the room represent the status quo—the established companies that have spent 50 years building legacy structures and systems, said Chris Stephenson (right), PHD's head of strategy and planning for APAC. The big question they face: "Are you capable of disrupting yourself, or will disruption be thrust upon you?"

Representing the non-dinosaur contingent, Balazs Molnar of Aliz Technologies said that to be good at disruption, companies need to walk before they try to launch into orbit. A "desperate pursuit of disruption" is not a useful approach. "People always want to disrupt big stuff, rather than doing rapid prototypes and proofs of concept", he said, adding that smaller, faster projects can help determine whether a solution actually has the potential to solve a business problem.

Overcoming short-termism
Posted at 1:20 pm

Focusing on setting up DMPs and getting technology platforms right is an irresistible focus for brands and agencies alike right now, said Edward Bell, general manager of brand insight and marketing at Cathay Pacific.

“Platforms make it so easy to focus on immediate response” said Bell. But if everything is click-to-revenue then marketing inevitably becomes short term and “marketing departments become sales departments.” Other functions like customer loyalty and brand building can get marginalised.

The fear is that C-suites have become hooked on data-driven short-term outcomes and it will be difficult to convince them to fund longer-term initiatives.

“I’m not as pessimistic,” said Erica Kerner, VP of marketing and communications at Tiffany & Co who argued that brand remains front and center for them, but simply has to be built alongside short-term initiatives.

Just finished, our Facebook Live talk with Edward Bell of Cathay Pacific
Posted at 12:40 pm

Watch our Facebook Live session with Sam Ahmed of Standard Chartered
Posted at 11:36 am

Apocalypse (not) Now
Posted at 11.28am

Let's dispense with the "apocalyptic picture" that keeps being painted about the media industry and the fate of media agencies in particular. At least that's what Mark Patterson, APAC CEO of GroupM, reckons.

Fine, there are challenges in today's digital economy, he said, but this is nothing new. "Media agencies have only ever encountered disruption. We're agile and commercially astute. It's now our time and we should be confident about it."

For Jo Flint, MD of agency business APAC at Google, changing that narrative means talking about media and marketing as a growth driver, and not a cost. Jee Seon Park, L'Oreal media and digital director, added that for all the changes being talked about, advertising and media's goal has always remained the same: being consumer centric.

Watch our Facebook Live session with Jo Flint of Google APAC
Posted at 11:14 am

Turn up with data, or don't turn up at all
Posted at 11:05 am

L-R: Richard Bleasdale, Mark Heap, Mark Jansen and Sam Ahmed

Value, and the transformation of marketing KPIs, was on the agenda in this panel session, with Sam Ahmed, global head of digital and retail marketing at Standard Chartered Bank, saying traditional KPIs no longer work because even though they may be client centric, they are not business led.

The conversation touched on the challenges of using data, with the “hyper-pressure” now, according to Ahmed, being around integrating data in real-time. “If you’re not turning up with data, it’s hard to add value. If you’re just turning up with your client’s data, you’re disadvantaging yourself,” said Ahmed. Data privacy needs to be the number one rule, he continued.

While the technology around data is not new, said Mark Jansen, data and analytics leader at PWC, it’s the speed at which it can be analysed that is new, especially regarding behavioural analytics. “Companies know they have more data but it's about understanding how you mash that with all other sources of information.”

Watch our Facebook Live session with Florian Adamski of OMD
Posted at 10:54 am
(Apologies for the temporary audio difficulties.)

Through great disruption comes great opportunity
Posted at 10 am

This kickoff session at Campaign360 sees Phil Wade, CMO of Jetstar Airways, and Florian Adamski, global CEO of OMD Worldwide, give their views on the state of the industry.

(L-R): Florian Adamski, Phil Wade and Atifa Silk

Adamski acknowledged that there is “a lot of intimidation and fear” in media agencies, and bolstering the confidence of people questioning where the future lies is a crucial part of his role at present. In the 21 years he has worked in the industry, said Adamski, change has never been faster than in the last three to five years: but this makes it a “super exciting” time to be working in the space.

Giving the client perspective, Wade confirmed he has “huge faith" in the industry and where it will go, although issues of transparency have caused some issues. “If we can get the cost model right with agencies, there is a future with agencies,” said Wade.

Welcome Facebook Live video
Posted at 8:30 am

For the record: Here's today's agenda:

9:10 am - Through great disruption, comes great opportunity - With multiple and complex forces impacting business models, 2018 is set to be a year of great change. How are industry leaders eyeing future growth? This opening keynote session will set the scene for Campaign360, bringing the big questions to the fore and exploring the forces of growth for the business of media in Asia and globally.

Phil Wade, Global CMO Jetstar, Qantas Group
Florian Adamski, Global CEO, OMD
Moderator: Atifa Silk, Brand Director, Campaign Asia-Pacific

9:40 - Everything has changed, so why haven’t we? - The media environment is moving at great speed: Media formats, the tools, the technology, the talent. Media organisational structures and traditional business models will not stand the test of time and media companies must reinvent if they are to survive. If we don’t adapt at the speed of the consumer, do we run the risk of diminishing altogether? What does being nimble even mean? This panel discussion brings together leaders from every corner of the industry to find the solution and come up with a plan. Let’s collaborate and find a way to progress.

Jo Flint, Managing Director Agency Business APAC, Google
Jee Seon Park, Media and Digital Director, L’Oreal
Mark Patterson, CEO APAC, GroupM
Moderator: Babar Khan Javed, Technology Editor, Campaign Asia-Pacific

10.20 - What is ’Value'? Aligning marketing performance agendas - With customer analytics and customer experience as key marketing focus areas, the traditional cost-based metrics of digital media success are being challenged. This means Marketers, Agencies and Publishers, increasingly need to agree on the performance metrics that matter. In an open discussion, our expert panel discusses and debates what these metrics should be. How can technology play a greater role in improving marketing performance and how can the whole ecosystem be more transparent with each other? Do agencies really want to be paid for performance? Can marketers really sign-up to success-based contracts? Where does the publisher come into all this; should they be prepared to take more risk to ensure value is delivered?

Mark Jansen, Data and Analytics Lead, PwC
Sam Ahmed, Global Head of Digital and Retail Marketing, Standard Chartered
Mark Heap, CEO APAC, MediaCom
Moderator: Richard Bleasdale, Managing Partner APAC, The Observatory International

11.30 - Short-termism and sleepless nights - There are seismic pressures on brands and agencies to innovate and deliver authentic content and experiences. In addition, the want of short-term results means marketing leaders are under extreme pressure to deliver - and deliver fast. Then there are the new players; brands are enlisting consultancies to accelerate business decisions, which furthers the disconnect between clients and their agency partners. This brand panel looks at the changing responsibilities of CMOs. What are their pressures and what keeps them up at night? How will consultancies and new technologies play a role in decision-making in the future?

Erica Kerner, VP Marketing & Communications, Tiffany & Co
Edward Bell, General Manager, Brand Insights and Marketing, Cathay Pacific Airways
Ruth Stubbs, Global President, iProspect Dentsu Aegis Network
Moderator
Wendy Hogan, CX & Marketing Strategy Director, Oracle

12.00 - Creativity vs technology: the effectiveness debate - The art versus the science has for a long time been debated by industry leaders. One side is the old-school creative, responsible for the big TV ad production and award-winning concept. The other sees only a future where AI does everything for us – from concepts derived from algorithms and creative generated through a computer or robot.
One argues that in the sea of sameness, creative is the only differentiator and the technology is always the same. The other debates that in an industry where programmatic is now everything, the need for multiple creative generated at speed is fundamental and something a human cannot keep up with.
In this debate, we challenge creative vs technology. How do you make technology consistently creative and creative technologically advanced? Is our preoccupation with machines taking away from creativity and effectiveness?

Keynote: Matty Burton, Creative Chief, Google Zoo
David Guerrero, Chairman & Chief Creative Officer, BBDO Guerrero
Anthony Baker, Group Technology Director, R/GA
Valerie Madon, Chief Creative Officer, Havas Group

12.35 - Disrupt or be disrupted. Who wins the future? - Literature and film predicted technology’s eventual takeover of the world many decades ago. Humans will be phased out and those remaining mere servants to the technology that rules us… Maybe it won’t be that dramatic, but there is both fear and excitement across industries, as automation, artificial intelligence and machine learning go from strength-to-strength, revolutionising the world we live in. Despite the fear mongering, there is still a role for humanity and there is great opportunity to capitalise and take ownership of this space in the future. The question is, the merging of technology and humanity, whose game is it to win?

Chris Stephenson, Head of Strategy and Planning APAC, PHD

14.00 - The China business-building opportunity - Emerging technologies, cultural shifts and the booming economy have forced enormous growth in China and a lot of global and local businesses are having to rethink strategies so they don’t miss out. This session looks at the strategic opportunities for growth in China and how best to tap into the tech giants wealth of data and digital marketing capabilities. How is customer experience in China changing and how can global brands win in China while maintaining global brand alignment?

Christina Lu, General Manager, Alibaba
Moderator: Navaneeta Das, Head of Product and Client Development, Publicis

14.25 - The honest appraisal and a question of talent - Youth and diversity fuel innovation in business. CEOs want this talent but the age-old issue of recruitment and retention continues to resurface. In this session, media and creative juniors lift the lid on what environment is needed for them to thrive. What empowers them and what drives them away? Do their CEOs need to buck up their ideas? Plus, we drill down into how to bring talent into the business – how have things progressed? What do we need to look out for in the future and how can we ensure we’re getting it right?
Featuring nominated talent from Mindshare, iProspect and PHD.

Joy Q. Wang, Mindshare
Richard Zaw, iProspect
Rylie Huang, PHD
Moderator: Zarka Khan-Iltaf, HR Director, IPG Mediabrands

14.55 - The next three years through the lens of the customer - We continuously debate the changing state of media but let’s not forget the real face behind the revolution – the consumer.
Data and technology have opened the door to the possibility of highly targeted people-based marketing, and the type of seamless consumer experience that could dramatically change the advertising landscape forever. But let’s be realistic - this has been talked about for some time, so what is needed to make it reality in 2018? The brands that succeed in this environment will recognise that sophisticated data collection and understanding is important, and to achieve this state of marketing utopia by implementing people-based marketing, a change in strategic mindset is required.
This panel debate will pick apart the building blocks needed to put people-based marketing at the core of your marketing and consumer strategy in 2018.

Arun Kumar, Global Chief Data & Marketing Technology Officer, IPG Mediabrands
Mark Rogers, VP APAC, Wall Street Journal
Moderator: Liz Miller, VP of Marketing, CMO Council

15.50 - Formats of the future – what’s next for media? - With so many new technologies and media formats to engage consumers in, it’s difficult to know what trend will contribute most to the growth of the market in the future. What are fads and what will revolutionise media? This session aims to inspire with a keynote from the masters of ephemeral content, Snap Inc, who will encourage you to think outside the box and look beyond the next 12 months. In a space that is crowded with new technologies and ideas, what ideas can we challenge and brief our agency and brand teams to look out for? Be the leaders driving the trend, not riding it.

Kathryn Carter, General Manager APAC, Snapchat Inc.
Moderator: Faaez Samadi, Marketing Editor, Campaign Asia-Pacific

16.20 - Brand safety and transparency? That’s my job - Brand safety has been an ongoing challenge since the birth of automation in advertising. It is the past 12 months that have brought it to the fore. Do media agencies need to restore confidence on the issues of transparency and brand safety? Or should brands be taking control of their media, asking the right questions and driving change? Can technology solve all our problems? Brands are slashing spend and the number of agencies they work with in a bid to clear the ‘murky’ supply chain and ensure brand safety. Is this the answer?

David Porter, VP Global Media, Unilever
Moderator: Stephan Loerke, CEO, WFA

16.55 - Leading APAC into a brighter media future - CEOs are under immense pressure as the global macro challenges continue to affect APAC. Change requires new and innovative technologies, industry collaboration and the bravery to reinvent. In this session, we bring it back to APAC. What strategic changes do CEOs need to make in the next 12 months to fight away the disruptive forces that have damaged the business of media? What opportunities does APAC present and where are these pockets of growth? Do our regional leaders feel positive about the future?

Kyoko Matsushita, CEO APAC, Essence
Stephen Li, CEO APAC, OMD
Mike Amour, Chairman & CEO APAC, Havas
Moderator: Robert Sawatzky, Head of Content, Campaign Asia-Pacific

17.25 - The Campaign360 debrief - We’ve debated, analysed, strategised and shared learnings but what are the real takeaways from the day? This closing speech digests the day.