MediaCom Tech Boss: “Facebook & Google Having All The Data Should Be A Worry For Everyone”

MediaCom Tech Boss: “Facebook & Google Having All The Data Should Be A Worry For Everyone”
Dan Uglow
By Dan Uglow
SHARE
THIS



When Mary Meeker famously predicted that Facebook and Google would snare 70 cents in every ad dollar by 2020 the tech visionary’s comments sent a collective wave of panic across media agencies around the globe.

And whether her words prove prophetic or not, according to MediaCom’s Australia’s chief digital officer, Willie Pang (pictured above), it was a wake-up call for agencies found wanting in the data and tech space.

Pang was appointed to the role 12 months ago by newly installed CEO Sean Seamer with a remit to transform the media agency’s tech offerings to clients.

In fact, marketing guru Andy Lark praised the agency’s tech transformation in an interview with B&T last week.

When it comes to the Meeker prediction, Pang tells B&T that two monster players sucking up all the ad cash should have alarm bells ringing not only for agencies but for marketers, too.

“That lack of fragmentation should be a real worry for marketers, I think,” he said. “MediaCom’s job is to find the best possible outcomes for our clients across all the channels. If Facebook and Google have a monopoly on the data set and then hold it back from the Proctor and Gambles or the Carlton and United Breweries of this world then it’s actually a massive strategic risk for them.”

Pang added that rather than concede to Zuckerberg and co, GroupM (MediaCom’s parent) planned to use its global might to take the adtech fight to them.

“The opportunity is that GroupM, being so big globally, gives us great scale. Marketing will, into the future, be driven by data and data is essentially the core of strategic advantage for corporations and MediaCom has recognised that we need to be playing in that space.

“That means brands that work with MediaCom, we can take their data and use it against every other client that works with GroupM around the world and that gives a client insights that rival what Facebook and Google could give you. You have to play along with these adtech guys to survive.

“If you get to that Mary Meeker state where you have Facebook and Google taking 70 cents in every dollar you are trading with people who have you at a scale disadvantage and an information and data disadvantage,” Pang said.

MediaCom is now offering its local clients a data management solution – the first GroupM agency to do it anywhere in the world, according to Pang – that provides the client with software that can bring all their data together in the one spot rather and significantly improve the insights a client can get from it.

“This is the big macro change you’re seeing in the industry,” Pang added, “It’s MediaCom saying to clients we’ll give you the software to house your data in and that can sit alongside the client strategy, the creative strategy, the business strategy, your ecommerce strategy. And that lets brands have far better personalisation with their customers.”

Please login with linkedin to comment

Advertising Standards Bureau agency Criteo Take Heart Australia

Latest News

The Turning Tide Against Surveillance Capitalism
  • Opinion

The Turning Tide Against Surveillance Capitalism

In this guest post, CTO of Wiise, Hamish Browne (pictured below), says tech’s new focus on privacy will lead to new rules and new ways of doing business for marketers… With the delicate balance between customer data and privacy in the spotlight like never before, the potential emergence of new standards and business models, is […]

Opinion

by B&T Magazine

B&T Magazine
Kim Kardashian Spruiks Cryptocurrency In Instagram Ad
  • Media
  • Technology

Kim Kardashian Spruiks Cryptocurrency In Instagram Ad

Businesswoman, reality TV star, and social media personality Kim Kardashian has posted an ad for mysterious cryptocurrency Ethereum MAX [EMAX]. In a post on her Instagram story – where she has 228 million followers – Kardashian wrote: “Are you guys into crypto????” “This is not financial advice but sharing what my friends just told me […]

Recommended

by B&T Magazine

B&T Magazine
Great Southern Bank Rebrands With ‘Happily Clever After’ Via Indie Agency Richard Rose
  • Campaigns

Great Southern Bank Rebrands With ‘Happily Clever After’ Via Indie Agency Richard Rose

Great Southern Bank has launched a brand campaign this week, ‘Happily Clever After’, coinciding with its name change from Credit Union Australia, bringing to life its purpose of helping all Australians own their own home. The journey to changing from Credit Union to Great Southern Bank began back in 2020. When Australia’s largest customer-owned bank, […]

Nine Promotes Jo Clasby To Commercial Director, Publishing
  • Marketing

Nine Promotes Jo Clasby To Commercial Director, Publishing

Nine has promoted Jo Clasby to the role of commercial director – publishing, where she will report to Nick Young. She was previously director of client partnerships – publishing. Her new role establishes her at the same level of seniority as Anthony Smyth, commercial director – radio. Smyth was promoted at the start of this […]

Mark Zuckerberg, chief executive officer of Facebook Inc., listens as Narendra Modi, India's prime minister, not pictured, speaks during a town hall meeting at Facebook headquarters in Menlo Park, California, U.S., on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2015. Prime Minister Modi plans on connecting 600,000 villages across India using fiber optic cable as part of his
  • Technology

“No F*cking Way!”: Pink Floyd Frontman Refused To Give Mark Zuckerberg Rights To Song

Roger Waters, co-founder of Pink Floyd, said he refused to give Mark Zuckerberg the rights to use hit song Another Brick in the Wall (Part Two). Waters was speaking at a pro-Julian Assange event when he said that he had been offered a “huge, huge amount of money” for the use of the 1979 hit […]

Recommended

by B&T Magazine

B&T Magazine
Accor Celebrates Aussie & NZ Cities With New ‘Go ALL Out’ Campaign
  • Campaigns

Accor Celebrates Aussie & NZ Cities With New ‘Go ALL Out’ Campaign

Hospitality giant Accor is shining a light on the joy of cities through its newest campaign, ‘Go ALL Out’, which launches in Australia and New Zealand today. The gateway to the ‘Go ALL Out’ campaign is ALL – Accor Live Limitless, a lifestyle loyalty program that integrates rewards, services and experiences throughout the Accor portfolio […]

Marketing Firm Silverbean Set To Double Headcount To Support New Client Wins
  • Marketing

Marketing Firm Silverbean Set To Double Headcount To Support New Client Wins

Global affiliate and partner marketing firm Silverbean has secured new contracts with 13 major Australian brands and is now working to double the size of its Asia-Pacific team. Silverbean launched in Australia in 2019 and has seen steady growth through its work with retailers. Now, with 15 new brands joining the Silverbean portfolio, the agency […]

Xandr Launches New Guide Exploring The Future Of Identity
  • Advertising
  • Technology

Xandr Launches New Guide Exploring The Future Of Identity

Xandr, AT&T’s advanced advertising company, today released “Shaping the Future of Identity,” an industry guide exploring the approaches for buyers and sellers, as well as market participants, as they evaluate identity solutions in preparation for a future without third-party cookies.

GTI Appoints New GM Of Marketing & Strategy, Snares Fresh Client
  • Marketing

GTI Appoints New GM Of Marketing & Strategy, Snares Fresh Client

Tourism PR and marketing agency GTI has announced the appointment of longtime media executive Jenny Pham as its new general manager of marketing and strategy. Pham (pictured above) will lead the agency’s marketing division with responsibility for strategy, media and consumer marketing, while GTI founder and managing director Sarah Anderson remains as the day-to-day lead […]

Hospitality Networking Platform Clipboard Launches Equity Crowdfunding Campaign
  • Campaigns
  • Marketing

Hospitality Networking Platform Clipboard Launches Equity Crowdfunding Campaign

Clipboard, a free professional networking platform for the hospitality industry, has announced it will seek to raise its next round of funding via equity crowdfunding platform Birchal. This will power its vision to transform the way the fragmented hospitality industry connects, shares experiences, markets and recruits. With a growing member database of over 24,000 hospitality […]