Meet the M&M Awards judges: Frederic Joseph | M&M Global

Meet the M&M Awards judges: Frederic Joseph

Frederic Joseph, global COO and CEO Americas, S4M is a judge at this year’s M&M Global Awards and talks to M&M Global about the trends dominating international media and why he sees himself as a bit of rebel…

What do you believe are the key trends and insights dominating international media right now?

I think transparency and accountability will remain top of mind for international media. Advertisers will also look to incorporate geotargeting in their media plans, especially in their mobile strategies. Mobile will definitely emerge as a key channel to bridge online and offline advertising investments. Finally, an important insight that brands should be conscious about is post-campaign KPIs – such as measuring footfall traffic and intention to purchase. Advertisers are also always looking into insights for cross-device strategies. With the new iOS 11 update from Apple in September, we will see that cross device tracking via cookies will no longer be possible on Safari browsers – Android will likely follow suit on this move.

These new features alongside the continuous migration of traffic from desktop to mobile will progressively make cross-device a non issue and mobile first strategies will dominate.

What are the biggest challenges the industry faces?

One of the biggest challenges in the industry is still with campaign KPIs metrics and eliminating discrepancies. Lack of trust between advertisers and technologies remain a significant challenge (as per the recent episodes with largest players in the marketplace admitting having inflating metrics to the detriment of advertisers).

Another challenge is that the MRC guidelines and accreditations are not yet fully known by the industry. I think it is important that the MRC accreditation is regarded as the gold standard for the industry. This way advertisers know exactly where their ad budgets are going and how to improve their campaign strategies. Last, as geolocation will gain more attention, calculating footfall traffic still has room for sophistication and more precision in campaign reporting.

What does the industry look like in the next 12 months?

In the next 12 months, we will be seeing more convergence between players. The winners will be the ones that provide more transparency with data and technology platforms. We will also see advertisers move towards not just mobile-first campaigns but also apply more focus on mobile-only strategies. Consumer traffic will migrate more to mobile so advertisers will for sure follow with the media investments. Finally, we will see more emphasis on geo-targeting and footfall traffic measurements.

What do you want to see from the shortlisted campaigns for this year’s M&M Global Awards?

I would like to see some mobile-first strategies with awesome creative units that are non-intrusive. Another thing that I would like to see is evidence of campaign efficiency and in-store visits combined with innovative application of data.

What do you think makes for a winning entry?

All the aspects that I’ve explained above would definitely be keys to winning an award this year.

What campaign or campaigns do you think have set the bar for international media in the last 12 months?

Hands down, our Subway campaign (drive-to-store) boosting in-store visit. The mobile strategy that we conceived was truly unique and impactful. What’s more, we were able to measure footfall traffic in actual restaurants as well as significant impact of our campaign against key competitors!

This year the awards ceremony is moving to the Natural History Museum and as a result we are encouraging the industry to unleash the beast within them, if you had to chose one of the following which animal would best represent you?

I see features of myself in all four animals. If you take these animals and make an acronym, it can almost spell out the word ‘REBEL’. I see myself as a kind of rebel, never afraid to test the unknown.

1) Raptor

You identify an opportunity and are swift to act, agile enough to adapt to continual change and always able to sniff out and hunt down new opportunities.

2) Eagle

You have an uncanny ability to identify trends and insights before they happen, analyse data and act on it to generate business success.

3) Blue Whale

You like to think big and look at the bigger picture. You are thoughtful and think thoroughly before acting to ensure the right experience is delivered at the right time. Your broad shoulders and enthusiasm mean you are a rock for you team.

4) Lion

You are a born leader, leading by example and inspiring your teams through hard work, passion, enthusiasm and industry knowledge. You are not afraid to make the tough calls, but equally are happy to be guided by your team.

More information on the M&M Global Awards is here. It is going to be the first event under ‘Hope’ the new blue whale in the Natural History Museum.Frederic Joseph

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