Tracey Iskander, co-founder and managing director, Marquee
Our industry is one of the more digitally advanced in the world, but why are some parts of what we do still mired in last century practices?
Digital transformation has become a top priority for many businesses over the last few years. The industry has in many ways successfully embraced this – and clients have demanded it. But it is comparable to the proverbial onion layers as there are so many areas to address.
Let’s break it down. Digital transformation is the integration of digital technology into all areas of a business. It results in fundamental changes to the way a business operates – in a good way. It enables agencies and companies to modernise processes, implement more efficient workflows, increase profitability, productivity and agility, and – it’s important to add – keep staff happier and more engaged.
People have an overall expectation that processes these days are online.
We are all aware of the talent crisis affecting our industry this year. Finding people is hard – and keeping them even harder. Attracting and retaining talent is easier when you have smart and efficient systems in place. Providing your people with modern day, digital tools can do way more than just help the agency increase productivity. It allows for staff to better succeed in their job, be freed up to focus on the main reason they are there – to focus on strategy and solving client problems - and be happier at the same time. Anything short of this is unnecessary risk.
I worked at the Network 10 for almost a decade as Head of Ad Operations and I was focused on building a team that created efficiencies and standards internally. Together we made many advances of which I’m proud to have been a part of. However, there was a broader industry-wide issue - a distinct lackof standardisation in many areas including material instructions. It was like the land that time forgot. This lack of standards could very easily lead to mistakes and those mistakes can cost tens of thousands of dollars and result in a flurry of activity around make goods and reassuring the client.
It is quite possibly the most complicated and cumbersome part of the industry’s job – trying to interpret instructions arriving in various formats ensuring client campaigns are executed on time, on the right channel and with the right creative. Friday nights in a traffic team were dreaded. It is the busiest time of the week, chasing new material for the start of the following. Nightmare is probably a nice way of putting it.
Some agencies are still using email and spreadsheets, and while they are powerful for numbers, data and analysis, the same does not apply to advertising instructions. There is currently no standardisation and no formal version control. Agencies and media owners alike don’t like it because it’s mundane, it’s complicated, it lacks transparency. There was a real opportunity to digitally transform this process and allow greater control, transparency and visibility to all involved.
We need to streamline, standardise and automate the way we transact each part of the process; the start, the middle and most importantly, the end - as it contains all the instructions that contribute to a thoughtful planned strategy (that everyone is banking on).
Change can be intimidating, and digital transition might be a significant shift for many, but technologies need to be seen as enhancing tools to create more value. And with labour efficiency gains of up to 75% so far and a de-risked process, what’s the downside?