This SVP, media director hopes to find ways to make buying and planning online and for emerging media more efficient in the near future.
Meridee Alter is senior vice president, media director for Rubin Postaer and Associates (RPA). She oversees all online media planning, buying and trafficking for the interactive division of RPA, one of the largest independent advertising agencies. She also provides liaison between online and traditional media planning and buying.
iMedia: It's near the end of the year. What would you say was your personal and/or your agency's biggest triumph this year?
Meridee Alter: We had an amazingly successful, fully integrated launch for the new 2006 Civic. There was terrific movement on every metric from brand attribute lifts to sales, and online played a key role in the campaign.
iMedia: What are you still struggling with or frustrated with that you thought would be history by 2006?
Alter: Realistically, I didn't think it would be history, but the process of planning, buying and creating for interactive media campaigns has only gotten more difficult as our budgets increase. It still requires more agency resources than any other medium even though spending is still well below that of TV, for example.
iMedia: How has the role of your agency changed to meet the needs of clients in a world of fracturing media habits?
Alter: We are increasingly focused on how we reach consumers when the media model as we knew it is rapidly changing. As we evaluate an endless stream of emerging media types, we are taking a good look at our agency processes to make sure that we are prepared to best serve our clients in the future.
iMedia: What are some of the latest ways your agency is integrating different media to achieve client objectives?
Alter: The previously mentioned Civic launch included a number of integrated programs, especially with cable networks and their respective sites. These programs also included product integration and events. To a lesser degree, we will also have programs that integrate print and online.
iMedia: What emerging media have you tested/are you using for clients?
Alter: We have used mobile advertising, DVR and small iTV tests. We will be testing VOD.
iMedia: What are clients most afraid of (either device, like cell phone or technique, like blogging)? Why?
Alter: Our clients are generally curious about all of these devices and techniques. I think they are more afraid of what TiVo/PVRs are doing to TV consumption.
iMedia: How is marketing/working with a small company different from working with a large company -- in terms of openness to innovation/experimentation/use of emerging platforms? Any industries more innovative, willing to take risks than others?
Alter: We work mostly with larger companies. I would say they are all pretty open to emerging platforms, but when it comes to executing, they sometimes fall back on proven traditional vehicles.
iMedia: If you develop an innovative campaign that is successful for one company, can you use that success story for companies in other verticals? How can you pitch it to convince other verticals that these results might apply to them too?
Alter: Yes, we can use success stories from one client to another or in a new business pitch. We rarely give away specific results (unless the client gives us permission), but there are still general learnings that can be used to demonstrate our expertise.
iMedia: What's the interactive campaign over the last 12 months that you wished had come from your agency? Why?
Alter: I was impressed with the uniqueness, creativity and integration behind Audi's "Art of the Heist" campaign.
iMedia: What's the biggest communications problem that you have in your work -- either internal within your company or external with clients -- and what strategies work best for you in tackling this sort of problem?
Alter: We are challenged to come up with a better process for multi-media integration. We have a lot of support inside and outside the agency, but it's not easy changing the way ad agencies have done business for decades.
iMedia: What are your goals for the coming year?
Alter: Find ways to make buying and planning online and for emerging media more efficient. I doubt it will happen, but a girl can dream, can't she?