PMG, an independent challenger ad agency, has gone on an investment spree. Over the past few months the agency has hired top talent, and in recent years it has acquired a number of businesses to build out a full-service offering for brands as it looks to challenge holding groups and other indies for business.One major addition it made last month was Josh Krichefski, the former GroupM EMEA and UK CEO, who is now PMG’s EMEA president.Krichefski is also notable for working as the president of IPA from 2023 to 2025, a role in which he championed industry talent and the importance of both acquisiton and retention.He joined The Media Leader recently to discuss his new role, PMG’s growth strategy and what sets it apart from competitor agencies amid a rapidly changing agency landscape.Krichefski also reflected on his time as IPA president and at WPP, and spoke about his views on the future of the agency model.Highlights:4:30: What attracted Krichefski to PMG after more than a decade at WPP9:43: PMG's go-to-market in EMEA: Transparency, consultancy, data27:01: Reflecting on Krichefski's time as IPA President and his People First agenda32:12: Agency consolidation and the future of the agency model38:26: Why AI is an opportunity, not a threatRelated articles:Josh Krichefski joins PMG as EMEA PresidentIPA president Josh Krichefski: ‘Put health and wellbeing at the forefront’WPP CEO labels group’s performance ‘unacceptable’ as it looks to SMEs‘We are in a crisis’: Advertising: Who Cares? suggests media business models must change---Thanks to our production partners Trisonic for editing this episode.--> Discover how Trisonic can elevate your brand and expand your business by connecting with your ideal audienceVisit The Media Leader for the most authoritative news analysis and comment on what's happening in commercial media. LinkedIn: The Media LeaderYouTube: The Media Leader
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43:54
'Full service thinking': How brands are reorganising as media becomes less siloed - with MediaSense's Ryan Kangisser
One of the key topics of industry research we at The Media Leader have been following is how media companies – be they agencies, owners or brands – can and should restructure themselves to become more fit-for-purpose in a changing media ecosystem.Independent marketing advisory MediaSense has been examining these issues for several years, and last month it released its latest report, in partnership with the World Federation of Advertisers, titled, The Future of Media Organisations. Based on responses from many of the world’s largest companies representing $52bn in annual media spend, the report found that media is emerging as a key way to connect disparate marketing functions – from creative to brand strategy. Media, in other words, is becoming less siloed.But that begs the question: how do businesses and their agencies reorganise to fit that new model?Ryan Kangisser is the chief strategy officer at MediaSense. He joins the podcast once again to explain the details of the study, their implications for marketers and agencies, and why integration – rather than scale – is the key to media success going forward.He remarks: "I think [brands] want full-service thinking, not necessarily full-service doing."Highlights:1:48: Toplines from The Future of Media Organisations report: breaking down siloes6:07: If media is taking a bigger role, who owns strategy?11:39: Developing the right data infrastructure to improve audience planning16:20: Global versus local: why there is an erosion of regional specialism24:03: How is the agency model changing?Related articles:Media’s strategic role in integrating marketing functions for brandsWhat’s the future role of media? It’s complicatedRethinking agency remuneration in 2025 — with MediaSense’s Ryan Kangisser---Thanks to our production partners Trisonic for editing this episode.--> Discover how Trisonic can elevate your brand and expand your business by connecting with your ideal audienceVisit The Media Leader for the most authoritative news analysis and comment on what's happening in commercial media. LinkedIn: The Media LeaderYouTube: The Media Leader
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31:10
The strategy behind Publicis Groupe's landmark year — with Niel Bornman
Last week, The Media Leader hosted its flagship annual event in London, The Future of Media, and for this week’s episode of the podcast, the team wanted to bottle one of the headline interviews from the conference.On Tuesday, host Jack Benjamin sat down with Niel Bornman, CEO of Publicis Media Connected UK.Publicis is having a big year – it is, by some margin, the strongest-growing of the major global media holding groups, to the point where its competitors are generally looking to emulate its business model.Bornman unpacked the moves the company has made in recent years to set it up for post-pandemic growth, and weighed whether its data-driven model is pushing advertisers more toward performance media.The pair also spoke about the future of the agency model, debated concerns around principal media, and discussed what needs to change to improve Publicis Groupe’s declining share price.Highlights:2:14: How Publicis' data-led model put it in a good post-pandemic position.5:08: Can Publicis maintain its USP as competitors look to emulate its business model?7:18: Are we over-investing in performance marketing?10:45: Boosting share price growth13:15: The future of the agency model in an era of AI19:00: Principal media: yay or nay?Related articles:‘We are in a crisis’: Advertising: Who Cares? suggests media business models must changeThe great media agency shake-upWho gains most from the agency shift to strategic partnerships with clients?Can principal media be good, actually?Podcast: What did Publicis get for $4.4bn? Interview with Epsilon UK MD Elliott Clayton---Thanks to our production partners Trisonic for editing this episode.--> Discover how Trisonic can elevate your brand and expand your business by connecting with your ideal audienceVisit The Media Leader for the most authoritative news analysis and comment on what's happening in commercial media.LinkedIn: The Media LeaderYouTube: The Media Leader
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23:17
How Roku is piecing a fragmented TV landscape back together — with Tom Price
This episode was produced in partnership with Roku.It's been a busy past few months for Roku: in the US, it launched a new low-cost subscription service, Howdy, which aims to be supplementary to the likes of Netflix and Disney+; in the UK, Roku launched 40 FAST channels on its platform.The company has emerged as a key partner for other entertainment partners to increase the reach and viewability of their content, a goal that has become increasingly important in a fragmented TV landscape.Tom Price is the content distribution director at Roku. He joins host Jack Benjamin to discuss the latest developments at Roku, what makes the UK TV market unique, and how the company has developed a toolkit of advertising opportunities for its content partners.This is part one of a two-part conversation — be on the lookout later in the year for a follow-up interview with Roku's EMEA ad sales director Mike Shaw.Highlights:3:11: Roku's UK positioning: the pace of change, growth opportunities, FAST strategy.10:03: Cutting through the noise of a crowded streaming market.14:58: Howdy: Roku's US ad-free SVOD option.17:48: How Roku works with its content partners.25:07: What's next? Streaming market expansion and consolidation, FAST growth, new features.Related articles:Roku launches FAST channels in UK marketHowdy confirms Roku’s growing interest in subscription streamingRoku eyes app bundling opportunity as next-gen aggregator---Thanks to our production partners Trisonic for editing this episode.--> Discover how Trisonic can elevate your brand and expand your business by connecting with your ideal audienceVisit The Media Leader for the most authoritative news analysis and comment on what's happening in commercial media.LinkedIn: The Media LeaderYouTube: The Media Leader
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Why there is a 'human premium' in consumer research — with IPG Mediabrands' Michael Brown
At the heart of every media plan is the need to understand what a consumer wants; wants from your brand, your product, how they want to be spoken to and through what touchpoints.Michael Brown is the UK and EMEA head of research and insight, and a senior managing partner, at IPG Mediabrands.He joined host Jack Benjamin to discuss how his craft of both qualitative and quantitive consumer research is adapting to meet changing needs of CMOs, and how he is integrating AI into his work practice.Brown believes wholeheartedly that the human element is at the core of consumer insights, and he explains why it’s important for media companies and brands to continue taking that into account.As part of the conversation, the pair also spoke about key insights trends, including the seeping of politics into social listening online, and what it means for brands who have demonstrated care (or lack thereof) to diversity, equity and inclusion efforts.In addition, Brown addressed how he and his team are handling any uncertainty over Omnicom’s forthcoming acquisition of IPG.Highlights:3:14: How demand for research and consumer insight is changing, and the crisis of "information overload" in the age of AI.11:34: Why true insight and storytelling require a "human premium".16:41: How do CMOs take on research?20:44: What's trending right now? Social listening, Reddit, and political controversy.28:24: Are brands shying away from responsible media investment and diversity, equity and inclusion?33:52: Reactions to Omnicom's acquisition of IPG.37:47: Is the social culture of adland changing?Related articles:The ad gap: Why marketers are falling behind consumers, and how to catch up Consumers seeking comfort online more likely to view advertising positivelyUS FTC approves Omnicom-IPG merger on condition it does not make ad decisions based on ‘political or ideological viewpoints’---Thanks to our production partners Trisonic for editing this episode.--> Discover how Trisonic can elevate your brand and expand your business by connecting with your ideal audienceVisit The Media Leader for the most authoritative news analysis and comment on what's happening in commercial media. LinkedIn: The Media LeaderYouTube: The Media Leader
The Media Leader is the leading source of analysis, data, opinion and trends in commercial media and advertising.Hosted by senior reporter Jack Benjamin, we speak to senior industry leaders and rising stars about the key challenges media faces as part of our mission to stand up for courage, inclusion and excellence in media.Find out more at uk.themedialeader.com and subscribe to our daily newsletter.
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