Keeping it real in the ever-changing world!

The ad world has always been on the cusp of a major change! “Chasing the new” comes naturally to this profession. It should not sound like a bad thing, it is chasing that new that gives the industry that sense of freshness and novelty that any piece of advertising and communication should always have. Whether the change has some real significance beyond novelty or not, defines whether that change will influence the ways of working in the industry.

The changes this time are significant and we are in for overhaul of the industry ways of working. Technology has changed pretty much everything we do in the last ten years. It will do more of it in the next five.

On the question of whether the premier league advertisers should be taking frontline control: It is just the nature of the game. The value chain starts from the owners of the brands- as ultimately the objective of advertising and communication is to grow and strengthen the business. The advertisers must assume a commanding position. The process, however, will be collaborative within the industry. Albeit a departure from existing ways of working. There is a need for advertisers to take greater and direct control of certain aspects of the work.

Firstly, the advertisers need to be closer to consumers than before. We need to talk to them in real time, and we need to personalize our messages more and more. One-size-fits-all communication models are already obsolete. At the same time, cost of production has come down dramatically. The industry has so far struggled at providing a model that addresses these realities. Hence you will see an increased trend of advertisers taking greater control of content and to certain extent creation of advertising and communication. Our global initiatives such as Unilever Studios and Unilever Entertainment are a manifestation of that need.  Similarly, in MENA, our brands like Lux, Dove, Sunsilk, OMO and Lipton are regular producers of content, working with a spectrum of content creators. These content creators include various influencers on platforms like YouTube and Instagram, to full form content creators like The Voice on MBC.

There is a need for us to talk about data & measurement. We need conversations on ownership of data and where that sits and should sit. There are certain types of data that are better placed within the control of advertisers. Especially in the realm of growth in ecommerce, and given the nature of data around consumer profiling and targeting. There are also concerns on industry standards and measurement of media in both digital and traditional. Issues such as “viewability” in digital media; standard cross-media reach and “audience measurement” in both TV and digital are topics that have not been addressed because the value chain has continued un-disrupted. The need for businesses to be more efficient in sluggish economic conditions is obvious. That need will drive the industry conversations around these topics naturally.  We have no choice but to work together to create value.

This time it is not a makeover and has everyone’s involved

As some rallying calls for a change in the past have been, this time the call for change is not just a makeover. Everyone is pressured to provide better returns in their businesses amongst these changes as well. Better returns are a function of value creation and not just cost cutting. It is not just digital giants and advertisers who are demanding better returns, agency networks are too, and so are traditional media and broadcasters. Better returns are about investing in the right places, and cutting losses in areas that don’t yield returns. We all know that the traditional value creation models are being challenged, so everyone should be re-considering their approach- not just advertisers and digital giants.

Direct Engagement of Clients with platforms and partners is a natural consequence

There are a lot of brands and clients that engage directly with the digital platforms. The intention behind that engagement is not just rate or value negotiations. There are programs that we partner with digital platforms on which may sometimes go beyond the remit of media and other agencies. There is no intention to cut the agencies out and they remain our partners in value negotiations. But we all know that the value of working with the digital platforms is beyond just media or creative. When it comes to media business specially, there are nuances and sources of value that agencies bring to the table which remain important.

Will I change the what, or the how?

The what has been changing slightly, and I think it is demanding a change in the how. A change in the ways of working. For example, our current allocation to digital is well above the industry average. I probably would not dramatically change “where” the ad dollars are spent in MENA, but I would like to see some clear advancements in the “how”. As highlighted above, we need greater agility, flexible working models, and simplicity and coherence in how media data is presented and reported in both traditional and digital media- and a more coordinated dialogue in the industry around the topic of measurement.  

Also, it isn’t just about communication channels and how we classify them. I think the silos have come down. What we do today is more about holistic consumer experiences than it is about below, above or through the line. Today, we look at consumer journeys and design a communication/experience around relevant touch points through that journey. How these touch points are classified is of little relevance to our work.

So at what level do we see the control coming back to us a client?

We don’t see major reworking of ad expenditure but we are seeking simplification in how we are working with the agencies. On the creative side, our ambition is to have less agencies focusing on bigger and bolder initiatives as opposed to multiple agencies doing bits and bobs of work here and there. Whilst the intention is to not necessarily look at in-house agencies, the course to be close to certain aspect of the work, as highlighted above, is evident. Initiatives such as Unilever Studios and Unilever entertainment are a reality. 

By Asad ur Rehman, Director Media, Unilever North Africa & Middle East