WPP media agency Mindshare taps Jeff Malmad to strengthen mobile focus
Media agency network Mindshare has named Jeff Malmad as mobile leader to buttress its adaptive marketing efforts that employ real-time mobile consumer data to initiate, alter and optimize marketing initiatives for brand clients.
Mr. Malmad will also hold responsibility for integrating mobile into overall planning and activation processes at Mindshare, a shop owned by WPP Group?s GroupM media arm that last year posted billings of $29.2 billion. The New York-based executive is a 15-year veteran of WPP and GroupM, most recently serving as group account director in charge of mobile at Joule with clients such as Shell, Dell, Unilever and H&M.
?I am tasked with ensuring that the most effective mobile strategies continue to be incorporated into our client campaigns,? Mr. Malmad said in an extensive interview.
?I am expected to stay ahead of the industry, ever vigilant in identifying and adopting new technologies that increase brand performance and connectivity to consumers,? he said.
In this Q&A, Mr. Malmad discusses Mindshare?s focus on mobile, the opportunities and issues with mobile media planning and buying, and marketplace adoption of mobile advertising and marketing. Please read on.
Your appointment at Mindshare as head of mobile must signal something within the agency, right?
Mobility is infused in almost everything consumers do today. We look at mobile as the DNA to all marketing programs, not just a silo.
Our goal is to continuously cascade this thinking across the agency and client base.
I plan to further enhance and expand our more mobile activity in addition to the very strong work we currently do.
What is Mindshare's view of mobile?
Adaptive mobility is a central component of Mindshare?s core philosophy: Adaptive marketing whereby consumer insights are activated to rapidly alter and optimize our client campaigns.
Since mobile data is collected in real-time and can be specified to location and device, we can create consumer connectivity that extends far beyond the banner.
What is your mandate at the agency?
I am tasked with ensuring that the most effective mobile strategies continue to be incorporated into our client campaigns.
I am expected to stay ahead of the industry, ever vigilant in identifying and adopting new technologies that increase brand performance and connectivity to consumers.
Have you gotten a team at the agency?
Mobile specialists are assigned to each team and work with us to elevate mobility in the planning process.
The role at Mindshare is to help form centers of excellence and best practices that can be applied for future initiatives.
We also have a North American mobile task force that cascades ideas and innovation in their respective offices.
Who do you report into?
Jordan Bitterman, chief strategy officer of Mindshare. Jordan is new to Mindshare, a digital and mobile powerhouse, and shares my commitment to driving innovation and generating great work that delivers results.
How does your background help you in your new assignment?
I have always looked at myself as someone who excels in creative marketing ideation within the digital space.
Prior to Mindshare, I was with Joule, a full-service mobile marketing agency that is part of WPP. Remaining in the WPP family allows me to still work closely with Joule while at Mindshare.
Agencies have been perceived as not readily buying into mobile. Why is that?
Perception is not reality.
Mobile media buying is happening. What we need to move towards is bringing mobile thinking more upstream in the overall planning process.
Mobile is uniquely important to all legs of the campaign, providing coveted insights and seamless connectivity to consumer lives. It is not a silo.
What do clients expect of agencies when crafting mobile strategies?
A committed partner that will drive results and look to seamlessly integrate mobility into overall communication plans.
We also look to be their eyes and ears on their ground, identifying new mobile opportunities quickly and deftly weaving them into our plans.
Keep it new, learn and learn some more.
What mobile services does Mindshare offer that makes its services unique?
We have a North American mobile task force, I think, comprised of experts at all levels and client backgrounds. Its overall goal is to keep everyone up-to-date on the mobile work they are doing as well as innovation they are seeing in the marketplace.
We have bimonthly calls during which we share best practices and update each other on new technologies we?ve successfully incorporated into our mobile campaigns.
How far involved in mobile are Mindshare's clients?
Some clients are moving more rapidly. We are working with all them to make mobile a key connector in their campaigns. It is my job with the help of the teams to make this a reality ASAP.
Clients are looking for education as well as best in class work for their brands. In a society where everyone is constantly looking down at their devices, everyone recognizes that if we are not connecting in this space, we will lose share.
Can you name some notable Mindshare mobile campaigns and media buys?
Many of our clients have done exciting things, some of which have actually been covered by Mobile Marketer.
Land Rover has done innovative work leveraging mobile media and immersive app experiences bringing to life the on-road and off-road driving experiences.
We have also had great success with American Family Insurance out of Chicago where the team worked with SessionM and created a Distracted Driving Game and won an IAC award for Best Insurance Mobile Application.
Campaigns coming down the pike will be focused more on adaptive mobility throughout the purchase funnel, leveraging location and device attributes to drive engagement and sales. It is not about buying a mobile banner, it?s about creating a deeper mobile marketing experience.
Mobile adoption is hamstrung by several issues, chief among them being scale and measurement. Your thoughts?
From an inventory standpoint, scale is not an issue.
From a mobile measurement standpoint, as long as you go into the campaign with clearly defined KPIs and clarity on what performance factors should be tracked, we can easily comply.
Where is the marketplace in terms of adoption of mobile advertising and marketing?
I feel we are at the anticipation stage, where everyone is very excited about mobile in theory but few have brought it to fruition.
One of the reasons I was so excited about joining Mindshare is that we are part of that few that have taken mobile from theory to reality.
Effective mobile advertising is not about buying a banner ? it?s about providing utility and being adaptable using campaign insights.
What can we expect from marketers and retailers this holiday season in terms of their mobile efforts?
Look for location-based campaigns and joint programs with retailers that drive showrooming where it can benefit both the retailer and the brand.
You will continue to see mobile flash sales specifically on Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
In a world where all surfaces are shoppable, look for more commerce-enabled out-of- home ads and virtual popup stores.
And what can we expect next year?
Big things.
