I’m always amazed at the job descriptors that are common to any ad that appears when companies are searching for media strategists. Media people tried for years to get the respect they believed they were owed within the greater ad agency world. Some were successful, others partly so, and a whole whack of ’em failed dismally to make any impression at all in the wide world of advertising. Nowadays, within the safe haven of The Media Specialist Agency they measure themselves up against other so-called specialists, and smugly reckon they’re doing pretty damn fine, thank you very much.
And why? Well go back to the essential requirements advertising the vacant position. You have to fulfil the following criteria: Have a sound knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint (I believe the verbiage used is “proficient”). Plus you must be proficient in Telmar, Adindex, and TGI. You must further be “familiar” with AMPS, RAMS, TAMS, ABC’s, and the setting of something called “media imperatives”. But on the other hand there is no mention of any of the following qualities: you must be able to verbalise a strategy without quoting research; you must understand a concept, and how best to dramatise it in the media; you should add creative value to any concept by having an IDEA! You’re part of the communication process, so you have to comprehend how communication (not media!) works.
So where does this leave us? It leaves us with a really imperfect situation where what should have been one cohesive process is now broken down into its component parts. People with no idea of what real communication is about search frantically to justify their quest for mediocrity. They spend an inordinate amount of time explaining that you can get four, yes four, A4 ads instead of one full page in The Star! Equally naive clients, looking for what is euphemistically termed “More bang for the Buck” go with their media expert. End result? Invisible advertising! No-one sees the ad, notices, or reacts to it. But thankfully it’s not measurable in terms of having to generate any results really, so the sinners escape to the next campaign they’re about to render senseless!
And the solution? Ah, well, that’s a whole lot more complicated. The ad industry has deliberately set itself up in silos and tribes. In the main this wasn’t due to any market forces or pressures, but more so in the pursuit of extra revenue. But clients didn’t fall for it – whilst 16.5 percent commission went out the window, this was now the starting point for negotiating remuneration DOWN, not up!
And it made all the sense in the world. Media was now outsourced elsewhere to “specialists”, so was Design, PR and often strategy. Production and printing is today moving in under the microscope. So whilst everybody wants their share, the total has hardly ever exceeded the original 16.5 percent. And this with hugely duplicated infrastructures for every “specialist” created.
The solution? One has to believe that sanity will prevail. That sometime in the very near future a “new” concept will be launched. An ad agency with PR, Media, Design, Strategy and Promotions all under one roof. With one defined infrastructure, all working towards an ideal campaign based on set objectives, and generating an integrated solution. All for the princely sum of 16.5 percent. Déjà vu!
Harry Herber is group managing director at The MediaShop Group