Brands Deserve Better Media
A weekly column from @tomjdenford
Cannes I skip it? Yes, you can.
(but don't miss the ANA’s transparency report launch)
Many of us are packing our shades and loafers for the hop over to the La Croisette this weekend. In the hubris it's always easy to see Cannes as a barometer of the industry in great health, but this year the hangover may last that bit longer.
Artificial Elephants
Has there ever been a more predictable Cannes discussion topic (well, since the metaverse last year) than artificial intelligence? Everyone’s suddenly hard at it and you’d think adland had actually invented AI judging by the flexing going on between agencies (and brands). But it does leave a big old éléphante in the Palais…
Waste
I am a big fan of Cannes, for all the right reasons. Connecting with real people, in real-time, in real places (without an appointment) is something truly magical these days and it's certainly worth paying $1,200 a night for the privilege. Yes, but it's all a bit too ‘Artificial Decadence’ if you ask me and we should rightly feel somewhat ashamed of the giant carbon offset bill that nobody’s actually going to pay. But another ‘waste’ hits many of us (at least in more immediately felt ways) much closer to home. The potential billions (with a big ol B) brands continue to waste in the programmatic supply chain.
ANA’s Report Due Monday
I understand that in Cannes on Monday the ANA will be publishing their long-awaited ‘First Look’ report into the programmatic media supply chain which they commissioned in 2021. They are hosting preview events around town. I cannot be there (see below), but I got an advance sneak peek at the report this week and highly recommend you put down your Rosé and give this your full attention next week.
You know what I am going to say. Whatever side of this great industry you work on, whatever it is that you do that merits you being in Cannes, all of us are in service of the brands we love and those brands deserve better media. And by the way, brands deserve FAR better from programmatic media. Whatever, read the damn report.
Irish Riviera
I will not be fighting you on the beaches, in the gutters nor on the terraces or the rooftops to get served a drink in Cannes. As readers of recent columns will know, June is a continuing celebration of my Dad’s 80th birthday so as I prepare to fly to the craic in Southwest Ireland, I wish you all well on your French adventures.
Finally, a Serious Question: Build, Buy or Borrow?
If you are sat in traffic, on the tarmac or just finding you need some inspiration for making a positive change in media, then I’ll direct you to the #MediaSnack archives to an episode where we asked, ‘Where Do You Start In-Housing Media?’
A couple of weeks ago I teased you with some ideas of how advertisers are evaluating and then building out their internal media capabilities. At ID Comms we get to see it first-hand, up close in all its glory. The question media leaders always ask is, "What parts of our media scope should our brand manage internally (build), what parts should we hire an external agency to manage (buy), and where can we use consulting expertise (borrow)?”
This episode is a quick primer to begin to answer this foundational question… and there's more coming on this next week.
When brands flourish, we all win.
Tom
This post was featured in ID Comms’ weekly column, Brands Deserve Better Media. Each week, CEO Tom Denford shares insights on media and advertising and inspires us to work together to build a better future for the industry.
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