Re: UKNM: Online Media Buying/Selling..end of the personal touch?

[Ray Taylor]

From: Sam Michel <

samchinwag [dot] com

>


>Not at all, there's always going to be clients who buy themselves,

>particularly if they're small or medium sized companies who don't have a

>large enough budget to retain an agency.


It's true that many companies, not just SMEs, buy direct - but not because

of the cost of retaining an agency so much as the lack of online media

agencies, or lack of trad agencies equiped to deal in new media.


In fact it doesn't cost anything at all to use a good online media agency if

(as in our case) the agency fees are deducted from commissions and

discounts. The media agency is supposed to save the client money. More

importantly, by using a good online media agency to place the banners you

ought to get more effective targeting and therefore better results.


The surprising thing is that there are not more online media buyers

operating in the market. Currently the margins are too low for the

established media agencies to consider involvement, without big retainers.

It makes more sense for small agencies and independents to offer a placement

service to both agencies and advertisers. But I have so far only come across

one other in the UK, also a member of this list - more power to your elbow,

Nick.


And as for robots doing the work, I have already said that I'm all in favour

of it. But people who are in the technology business ought to try to

understand the relative values of a useful tool, and the craftsman who

wields it.


Ray Taylor

taylorbizbiz [dot] com

 +44 181 639 0015

NMC/Adlan - UK leaders in banner placement