Mediapolis is to invite a media owner to set up shop in its offices
every month in a groundbreaking scheme designed to improve owner/ agency
relations.
Granada Media Sales is the first media owner to take part in the joint
agency/owner initiative called ’In the Spotlight’.
Carlton, IPC and News International have also put their names down.
The idea is that owners have the opportunity to meet media agency staff
and answer any questions on their media, hold workshops and display
their commercial wares for a period of one week.
Sales and marketing staff from Granada Media Sales decorated the room
that Mediapolis has assigned to the project, with posters and media
packs last week. It also installed television monitors which screened
ITV2, TV3, forthcoming ITV programmes for 2000 as well footage from all
three Granada Sky Broadcasting channels.
Mediapolis employees, including managing director Marc Mendoza, were
invited to wander in to surf Granada Media’s internet service provider
GWIZZ, which launches in November, and Granada Media’s other on-line
ventures including its Rugby World Cup website, ITV-f1.com and the
Granada Media site.
Gary Knight, executive commercial director at Granada Media Sales also
held a forum to debate topics such as the current airtime trading market
and licensing and advertiser funded programming.
’In the Spotlight’ was created by Mediapolis’ research, strategy and
innovation unit, Catalyst.
Bob Offen, the Mediapolis CEO, commented on the initiative. ’The idea
behind it was to open our doors and minds to key, dynamic media owners
and focus on their increasingly diverse communication offerings. In
return the owners get access to people they might not otherwise see,’ he
said.
Mike Desmond, chief executive of Granada Media Sales said: ’There is a
remarkable synergy between our objectives and we welcomed this
opportunity to create an open dialogue between ourselves and
Mediapolis.’
The agency added that while ’In the Spotlight’ is monthly scheme at
present, as it progresses it might be held quarterly.
