The Media Leader Podcast

In-game advertising has proven to be a tough nut to crack for brands and marketers. But are agencies set up well to take advantage of the burgeoning possibilities in the medium?Rhys Hancock is a technology, media and entertainment consultant who previously worked at Epic Games and, before that, co-founded metaverse studio and agency Metavision.In a conversation with host Jack Benjamin, Hancock gives his perspective on whether agencies are well-suited to planning and buying gaming inventory."That separation between creative and media, I don't think can hold in gaming much longer," says Hancock.Highlights:7:05: Breaking down intrinsic and immersive in-game advertising options11:20: In-game advertising campaigns that have worked well17:06: Are agencies well-suited to executing on gaming campaigns?25:50: The future of gaming – VR, cross-platform and cloud gaming, shoppable gaming and generative AI---This episode was edited by our production partner Trisonic.Visit The Media Leader for the most authoritative news analysis and comment on what's happening in commercial media. LinkedIn: The Media LeaderThreads: @TheMediaLeaderTwitter: @TheMediaLeader YouTube: The Media Leader

Welcome to this special four-part series of the podcast, which we've produced with Bloomberg Media. For the first time, we've recorded the podcast in a studio, so you can also watch/listen on our YouTube channel.The Future of Marketing is a series of conversations about the essential strategies and skills needed for marketers and their teams to thrive in today's complex cross-platform ecosystem. Hosted by editor-in-chief Omar Oakes, each episode this month will bring together the buy side and sell side of media to discuss the opportunities and pitfalls in 2024 and beyond.Episode 2: How to master the impact of insights and data toolsOmar Oakes is joined by Bloomberg Media’s Phil Robinson and Havas Media Network UK's chief planning officer, Jackie Lyons. They delve into the transformative impact of incorporating insights and data tools into your advertising strategy.Conversation outline:The best ways of measuring brand perception in the marketHow marketers can craft responsive strategies that enhance their brand’s imageWhat are marketers generally not doing when it comes to gaining data-driven insights and how should they improve this in 2024?Why it is important for marketers to be strategic leaders within their businesses and the support they needNext week: "How to really move the needle with storytelling and engaging audiences" with Bloomberg Media's Duncan Chater and Wavemaker's Ann Wixley. ---Thanks, as always, to our production partners Trisonic for editing this episode and for producing this series, which was recorded at Create in London. Visit The Media Leader for the most authoritative news analysis and comment on what's happening in commercial media. LinkedIn: The Media LeaderThreads: @TheMediaLeaderTwitter: @TheMediaLeader YouTube: The Media Leader

Host Ella Sagar is joined by reporter Jack Benjamin and columnist and ex-media agency founder Nick Manning to discuss hot topics in the media industry from the past week.The trio examine the 'Forbesgate' scandal and the trouble marketers and publishers are having over efforts to tamp down on adspend being wasted on Made-For-Advertising sites.They also chat about March's box office figures, News Group Newspapers' latest financial results, and how publishers and influencers are experimenting with SMS to engage with audiences.Highlights:00:26: The row over defining what a "Made-For-Advertising" website is.09:52: What the Forbes-MFA scandal means for the state of the digital advertising market.23:05: Looking ahead to the Future of Brands and Future of Audio & Entertainment events.25:30: Quick hits: March box office; Vevo's shoppable TV formats; Havas Media Network UK's "Avengers"; publishers using WhatsApp; News Group Newspapers' mixed financial results---Visit The Media Leader for the most authoritative news analysis and comment on what's happening in commercial media. LinkedIn: The Media LeaderThreads: @TheMediaLeaderTwitter: @TheMediaLeader YouTube: The Media Leader

Welcome to this special four-part series of the podcast, which we've produced with Bloomberg Media. For the first time, we've recorded the podcast in a studio, so you can also watch/listen on our YouTube channel.The Future of Marketing is a series of conversations about the essential strategies and skills needed for marketers and their teams to thrive in today's complex cross-platform ecosystem. Hosted by editor-in-chief Omar Oakes, each episode this month will bring together the buy side and sell side of media to discuss the opportunities and pitfalls in 2024 and beyond.Episode 1: Why multi-platform campaigns offer immense potential for expanding audience reachSteve Taylor, executive strategy director at VCCP Media, joins Bloomberg Media European managing director Duncan Chater to discuss why and how advertisers should make sense of the rapidly changing world of video and what marketers might be missing if they want a data-led approach to reaching new audiences.Conversation outline:Intro: how this series idea came aboutWhat’s new in 2024 for marketers who want to attract new audiences through the power of video?How can marketers be more strategic with the way they use data to target audiences across different channels?How can you execute cross-platform campaigns well in 2024 as audiences become more fragmented?What are the best ways to specifically reach new audiences?What are the best tools available and what do marketers need to know about them?Next week: 'How to master the impact of insights and data tools', with Havas Media's Jackie Lyons and Bloomberg Media's Phil Robinson.---Thanks, as always, to our production partners Trisonic for editing this episode and for producing this series, which was recorded at Create in London. Visit The Media Leader for the most authoritative news analysis and comment on what's happening in commercial media. LinkedIn: The Media LeaderThreads: @TheMediaLeaderTwitter: @TheMediaLeader YouTube: The Media Leader

Jack Benjamin is joined by Ella Sagar as they examine hot topics in the media industry from the past week.The pair delve into a recent ad ban instituted by Sheffield City Council and how it could impact the local OOH market. They also discuss Truth Social's IPO, Discord's foray into advertising and where best to place ads on Netflix.Highlights:1:23: Sheffield City Council's ban of advertising from “harmful and environmentally damaging" brands12:10: What is going on with Truth Social?16:17: More quick hits: Walmart's retail media expansion, ads on Discord, where to best place ads on Netflix, live-streaming podcasts to cinemas and how audio can increase its presence on the media plan---Visit The Media Leader for the most authoritative news analysis and comment on what's happening in commercial media. LinkedIn: The Media LeaderThreads: @TheMediaLeaderTwitter: @TheMediaLeader YouTube: The Media Leader

Caroline Johnson, Director and co-founder of The Business Model Company, discusses the need for media agencies to shift from time-based charges to outcome-based models. She emphasizes the importance of agencies repositioning themselves as consultants and providing value through results rather than hours worked. The podcast explores leadership challenges in business model transformation, the impact of outdated charging systems on talent and client partnerships, and the shift towards project-based and AI-driven models in the media industry.

Outvertising's Cass Naylor joins host Ella Sagar and reporter Jack Benjamin to dissect BBC director-general Tim Davie's big speech about the BBC's commercial future and look ahead to how media and advertising will play its part in this year's UK general election.Highlights:3:20: The future of the BBC's commercial activities18:20: Which media channel will be a key 2024 election battleground?29:20: Quick hits: why Instagram is minimising political content; Reddit's IPO; Outsmart/KPMG's sustainability in advertising study; Spotify's move into educational content; and Astrolab's plan to put ads on the moon---Visit The Media Leader for the most authoritative news analysis and comment on what's happening in commercial media. LinkedIn: The Media LeaderThreads: @TheMediaLeaderTwitter: @TheMediaLeader YouTube: The Media Leader

“Less social media. More Snapchat.” That is the tagline to Snap’s latest marketing campaign. The company, founded in 2011 as an image-sharing app that deletes the pictures after a short time frame, has evolved into a more comprehensive product and clearly wants to separate itself from the perhaps toxic connotations of the label “social media”.One area where Snap looks increasingly distinct from its competitors like Facebook, which has wound down its support for news over the past year, is in its partnerships with news and lifestyle publishers that bring unique content to Snapchat users via the app’s Discovery page and Stories.Lucy Luke, Snap's UK head of partnerships, sits down with reporter Jack Benjamin to talk about the company's strategy of working with publishers and, increasingly, creators.The pair discuss Snap's level of commitment to supporting news on its platform, how publishers are having to adapt the way they present stories to appeal to younger audiences in short-form video formats and how Snap benefits from becoming a place for audiences to check in on news and lifestyle.Highlights:1:45: Why Snap's young audience appeals to publishers and vice versa8:30: A place for hard news, soft news or both12:39: Do journalists need to act more like creators to get news across on Snapchat?17:52: The role of news in Snap's commercial strategy20:30: A more hands-on approach to brand safety24:41: The future of partnerships for Snap – Olympics, Paralympics, 2024 elections and the growth in creators---This episode was edited by our production partner Trisonic.Visit The Media Leader for the most authoritative news analysis and comment on what's happening in commercial media. LinkedIn: The Media LeaderThreads: @TheMediaLeaderTwitter: @TheMediaLeader YouTube: The Media Leader

The Media Leader columnist and Creativebrief editorial director Nicola Kemp joins Omar Oakes and host Jack Benjamin for this candid discussion of the biggest stories in media and advertising this week.In recent days, there has been a renewed push to ban TikTok in the US, the BBC is considering adding ads to podcasts when they are accessed on commercial sites, the government has disallowed newspapers to be purchased by foreign governments and United Talent Agency’s Michael Kassan has left the company. And, believe it or not, Ofcom has once again found GB News in breach of its broadcasting code, but has not doled out a punishment. Highlights:0:50: Gender equality in the workplace and the need for action5:30: The impact of Michael Kassan's departure on the media industry10:40: What happens if TikTok is banned in the US25:45: Is the BBC right to enable ads for podcasts in the UK?34:30: Quick hits – The Telegraph sale; another GB News Ofcom breach; and Ofcom's "no shit, Sherlock" report about what children see on social media.---Visit The Media Leader for the most authoritative news analysis and comment on what's happening in commercial media. LinkedIn: The Media LeaderThreads: @TheMediaLeaderTwitter: @TheMediaLeader YouTube: The Media Leader

In a special edition of The Media Leader Podcast, editor-in-chief Omar Oakes and reporter Jack Benjamin report live from last week's Connected TV World Summit in London.The pair discuss a number of topics in the world of TV that cropped up at the conference, such as the development and increasing popularity of FAST channels, the importance of TV operating systems to creating discoverability for broadcasters, and how media planners and buyers should be considering TV and the broader medium of "video" in 2024.Also featured are snippets from throughout the day, including an interview with Sky Media' investment director Ruth Cartwright, a presentation by Wavemaker's chief strategy and planning officer Elliott Millard, and more.Read our coverage from the event, including on how broadcasters are replacing lost linear audiences for advertisers, the future of addressable TV, and whether streaming services should be bundled on our website at themedialeader.co.uk.Highlights:0:37: Highlights from Day 1: new remote controls; the importance of smart TV operating systems; subscription bundling.3:48: Sky's Ruth Cartwright on the importance of measurement and collaboration.5:00: Retail media has come to TV.6:31: Highlights from Day 2: How everything is "video" now.13:40: What is and isn't working in FAST.---Visit The Media Leader for the most authoritative news analysis and comment on what's happening in commercial media. LinkedIn: The Media LeaderThreads: @TheMediaLeaderTwitter: @TheMediaLeader YouTube: The Media Leader