Page 39 - AdNews Magazine Nov-Dec 2020

for reaching audiences who are making the most of being able to be on the move again.
“This is evident in certain markets such as Queensland and Western Australia where we are seeing growth in spend year on year.”
Outlook 2021
Lee Leggett, CEO of Wunderman Thompson AUNZ, says clients are taking the opportunity to reset and reframe how they go to market, and ultimately how they come out of this in a stronger position.
“We’re seeing growth in ecommerce, customer experience and data with our clients,” she says. “These aren’t slowing down and are forming the backbone of many of our clients’ plans for 2021.
“We have worked with many of our clients for a long time and this historical knowledge and trust has led them to ask how we can help support their business in a broader sense.
“It’s not just about advertising, it’s about looking across their organi- sation and the end-to-end customer journey to better meet the needs of their people and customers.”
She sees a big opportunity for agencies to invest in people to ensure that when the world starts moving again the brilliant talent stays.
“I am genuinely excited about how our industry responds and evolves post COVID-19,” says Leggett. “This is our opportunity to see the benefits of flexibility, value output orientation versus time spent, and find new ways to be remunerated by clients for the value we create.”
David Fox, CEO of Ogilvy AUNZ, sees COVID-19 as an accelerator, both in a positive and a “learning” sense.
“Poor cultures have been unearthed, poor leadership has been found out and only companies with a forward-facing, modern communications business, will thrive as they were always ready for the future, no matter how fast it arrived,” he says.
He sees more focus in 2021 on what can be controlled at a time when a lot is out of control.
Predictions for 2021
Rose Herceg, WPP AUNZ chief strategy officer:
“Direct to consumer will continue as we know, via one-to- one and ecommerce, the sweating of owned assets will continue and more investment around the beautiful technology basics — bet- ter website analytics and more UX friendly apps will all help in a war where every touchpoint matters,” says Fox.
“In saying that, the clients who will win will understand that common sense is not that common. That emotional connection and trust is not built one-to-one, but via communications — big beautiful advertising.
“Get the beautiful basics humming, wrap around that consistent, relevant, distinctive, emotive and engaging work that builds trust and engagement in a time when trust is more eroded than ever.
“In 2021, we need to under- stand that creativity is not about technology alone — it’s the combi- nation of art, science and com- merce that will drive not just growth, but long-term sustainable growth.”
1. Government will become a high performance vehicle.
Why did it take a pandemic to get (some) real bipartisanship
on big issues such as jobs and infrastructure? Australians
will now expect exceptional government. Our politicians need to be top-class. Or at least better.
2. Movers and shakers inherit the sun.
Now is becoming the greatest time to switch careers. Companies launched during
a downturn are usually more durable and resilient than those started in buoyant, easier economies. And they are all looking for fresh, juicy talent.
3. Low-maintenance is your ticket to success.
There will be an explosion of
one-person bands who
opt out of full-time forever and make a better living as
a gun-for-hire. As long as they have impeccable street-cred, actual skills and a bulletproof reputation — in-and-out, no fuss or muss. The kicker that will
put these people over the top, is that their exceptional talent will be matched by their lack of need for much oversight. These people are ready made. Their resting pulse is resilience. Their self-esteem is healthy. They
are lean and fast. They are self- contained and high performing.
4. Everyone’s seen the sausage get made.
The sausage today is the global supply chain. All that hidden, private, ugly stuff
is now in full view. How did Australia let it be that [almost] our entire manufacturing has moved offshore? Being at the mercy of another country feels shitty. This will be one
of the big-ticket items that
government will enact.
5. The airline industry (in totality) will be reborn. Business class as we know it? Unlikely. Will we see airlines offer leisure travel only?
No more first, business and economy class. Party Class, People Traveling with Kids Class, Don’t Interrupt Me I’m Already on Vacation Class. Planes decked out with entirely different design features and food offers. So that the journey really is part of the vacation.
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