Off the back of today's news that former ZenithOptimedia CEO, Ian Perrin, has launched a new agency, in partnership with Clemenger, we took five with the man at the helm to find out more.
The agency, Speed, has been designed to take on ‘slow, predictable and non-transparent’ practices of media agencies and bring media and creative closer together. It will “merge media and message” applying real-time data, adaptive planning techniques and flexible investment strategies.
Q: Why is there the need for Speed?
IP: Brands are being built faster than ever before. And with the availability of real time data sources and programmatic technology, we are entering a phase of marketing that is all about agility. Speed is about delivering against this need.
Q: What will the agency make? Will it be more strategy and thinking or will it ‘make’ ads, content, products?
IP: Speed is about integrating media, message and moment to deliver faster results for dynamic marketers. We will work with our partners to ensure these are delivered in the fastest and best possible fashion.
Q: What does “merge media and message” actually mean?
IP: When media and creative agencies split up, so did the thinking that connected media and message. The Speed offer is not about re-bundling agencies back together, its about ensuring that when planning campaigns the agency delivers an integrated solution.
Q: Is transparency part of the mantra? What’s so transparent about the new agency?
IP: Being transparent is the only way you can deliver fast solutions, so yes this is a key component of the agency.
Q: In a nutshell, what’s your pitch to clients?
IP: Legacy models are slowing down the marketing process, and we want to be an agent of change for them.
Q: You say part of the offering includes helping set up in-house programmatic technology and helping clients trade directly with media owners. Why make this move?
IP: The point is that no one size fits all solution works for everyone. We need to be fast and adaptive depending on the requirements of the client, not slow and dogmatic about what works best for us.
Q: How is it making the transition from CEO of a long-standing agency like ZO to now heading up a startup?
IP: I think its important to always push yourself in different directions in your career. I have worked in creative, strategy and media agencies, and believe they have all, in some way, helped shape the Speed model.
Q: What’s the most exciting element?
IP: Providing clients a unique, differentiated offer.
Q: And the most challenging?
IP: The only challenge we have is delivering the high expectations we have for the business.
Q: What’s the ownership structure?
IP: The agency is majority owned by Clemenger Group, and I will also retain a portion of equity.
Q: How many staff is it launching with and is there a rough target amount to have met by end of year/one year?
IP: It is only me at this stage, but I will be tapping into the incredible talent of the Clemenger Group, as well as our world class partners at Omnicom Media Group.
Q: What type of person would suit working at Speed?
IP: We want our people to be what we refer to as 'Early Birds'. People who are always looking to the future, enthusiastic about change, and who operate quickly.
Q: Can you shed any light on the founding clients? are they Clemenger clients?
IP: We are talking to a few clients and will hopefully be able to announce some in the not too distant future.
Q: What type of clients do you want?
IP: We want clients who see themselves as dynamic. Those who want to look at different models, who want to change the status quo and want to integrate their thinking to deliver faster results.
Q: You worked alongside Mat Baxter, Mike Wilson and Adam Ferrier, the original founders of Naked Australia, in the agency’s heyday. Are there any similarities to the Naked model?
IP: It’s a different model for a more data rich, automated era. And what is fundamentally different is the partnership with Omnicom Media Group.
Q: So is the old agency model dead?
IP: No. But what we absolutely need to be is more adaptive in how we deliver it for clients.
Q: Is speed a new agency rival then? Will you be competing with OMD essentially?
IP: No, we will be working in partnership with Omnicom Media Group, not against them.
Q: What agencies do you think you sit alongside/are similar to?
IP: I’m not sure there are any.
Read More: Ian Perrin to lead new breed Clemenger media agency
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