Agencies wanting to innovate in mobile should treat advertisers like venture capitalists, with the prospect of sharing that success, according to the head of Havas Media agency Mobext.

Speaking at the Festival of Media Asia Pacific 2015 (FOMA), Arthur Policarpio, head of Philippines-based Mobext, offered advice for how agencies can learn from mobile start-ups such as Uber and Snapchat.

He argued agencies must embrace “speed”, and a “nail it before you scale it” philosophy.

“Why can’t these disruptive new platforms and businesses be built by agencies like ours? We can learn speed from start-ups – if you don’t launch quickly, you lose money, it’s as simple as that,” said Policarpio.

“[Agencies should] treat advertisers as VCs. Let them know how they will benefit and earn from innovation, and set a long term goal as well. Progress happens because of the crazy ones who are willing to take a risk and reinvest the game.”

Policarpio was joined on stage by McDonald’s Philippines VP marketing Margot Torres, who admitted the fast food chain had experienced a “rude awakening” in 2012 when it realised how unprepared it was for a mobile-first environment.

“We got obsessed with social, like everybody does, but by 2012 we had a rude awakening. We started with mobile coupons – it was clunky, but we wanted to get our feet wet,” said Torres.

McDonald’s has now launched a mobile app, with “promising results”, according to Torres.

She ended by urging marketers to view mobile as their “best tool” in the fight to remain relevant: “My personal greatest fear is to be a dinosaur, and to end up extinct. That keeps you on your toes.”

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