It’s the start of a new decade and our industry is picking up the pace. Here, our industry leaders tell us what their focus is for the year ahead.
Editors note: These answers were returned pre-Covid-19.
Sally Duggan, executive director of the MPA:
This year, like every year, the MPA’s focus is to remind the world about the magic of magazine brands: their unique creative power, audience connection, cross-platform impact and editorial integrity. Right now – as the public increasingly looks for truth and depth in a world where fake and shallow is the norm – the message about editorial integrity has real resonance, and readers are turning back to mastheads they can trust. New Zealand is blessed with a vibrant and world-class magazine industry, and we’ll showcase the very best of our titles through different ways in 2020.
That’s the upbeat stuff – we’ll also be supporting our publisher members with industry insights, and as they grapple with the erosion of ad revenue by digital players like Facebook and Google, rising postage costs and the ongoing shift in reader habits. We’ll be looking at new, more appropriate metrics to measure the 360-degree impact of magazine brands, a flexible internship programme, and we’ll be working with environmental experts on some robust research to discover the best-possible protective, waterproof wrap for our subscriber copies.
Brook Cameron, general manager of the NPA:
It’s still early days in my new role but our key areas of focus for the year ahead are to change the perception of newspapers by better communicating the role they can play in the wider marketing mix and demonstrating their reach and effectiveness. To develop and deliver relevant resources and services to the industry to make newspaper advertising easier to understand and plan. To represent and collaborate locally and internationally on industry developments, trends and insights on behalf of our members.
We’re living with ever changing market dynamics, negative perceptions and stretched marketing budgets. However there’s compelling evidence to support print still has a role to play in the marketing mix and that news brands in particular provide a trusted, quality environment in which to reach and engage your customers, we need to share this information.
Natasha O’Connor, general manager of OMANZ:
As a new decade begins, the future of Out-of-Home is looking bright. It is becoming widely accepted by consumers and has the ability to amplify other media, deliver creative impact, and with contextual relevance can create powerful connections between brands and consumers.
2020 is set to be an exciting one for OMANZ as we continue to implement our growth strategy. While many projects and events are occurring over the year, there will be four key areas of focus; delivery of an industry- wide audience measurement system, broadening of OMANZ membership, greater engagement with advertisers and agencies, and working with regulatory and government bodies on key issues for the sector – namely; driver safety, transparency and consistent with resource consenting, and education about our proactive approach to policy development in relation to advertising to children.
OMANZ has been working with to develop a unified approach to audience measurement for some time. This measurement system will bring the sector together delivering a level of uniformed accountability that will hold great appeal to advertisers and regulatory bodies alike.
Paul Maher, chairman of ThinkTV:
Last year we saw high- profile brands around the world and New Zealand shifting a greater share of their advertising dollar back into TV. In 2020 we want to see that trend continue.
We’ll continue to take an active role in debunking myths about TV in the year ahead. But it’s not enough to just talk the talk… In 2020 we’re focused on presenting more research to the market to give advertisers the usable tools they need to make their brand-building decisions. We’ll showcase the very best of TV advertising in our partnership with TRA – looking at the top 10 ten ads each quarter, as chosen by the public.
We’ll also bring more speakers out to the market, to inspire creativity and challenge our assumptions. We think coming together as a group and finding customer focused solutions will help everyone achieve a successful year ahead and the best business outcomes.
