Archive for the ‘opinions’ Category
Can a virtual trade show replace a live event?
Friday, September 17th, 2010As the organiser of the Specialist Media Show I am well aware of the practical headaches of live events - venue costs, choosing a date, stand and feature build and break down, not to mention the carpet! There’s also the task of persuading visitors to take a day out and travel for hours and convincing exhibitors that the extra costs of staff time and travel are justified. So the idea of virtual events is highly appealing - no venue cost, no shell scheme, no carpet or catering - and it should be easier to persuade visitors to attend for a few hours from their computer screen, and for smaller exhibitors to try out the environment.
But can a virtual show replace the thrill and spectacle of a live event? I think it’s unlikely in consumer events, where people want to touch and feel the product, but could be more interesting in b2b shows, where the products are intangible and exhibitors focus on lead generation. Some UK organisers are testing the water, but the US as usual is more advanced. Yesterday I attended Publishing Business Virtual Expo to road test the environment. Here’s my admittedly subjective view based on the main reasons visitors and exhibitors attend trade shows, with a star rating based on the quality of the experience vs live: (more…)
Tags: events, lead generation, networking, specialist media show, thought leadership, virtual event, virtual trade show
Posted in b2b, business strategy, events, opinions
Why specialist titles thrive with independent publishers
Saturday, August 21st, 2010Media giant IPC are in the process of disposing of around 28 niche titles - like Guitar and The Railway - and reportedly are selling to several small publishers rather than as a job lot. This set me thinking about specialist media businesses and whether they actually do better under independent ownership than as part of a large media organisation. At Emap I disposed of several niche specialist magazines that were deemed to be uneconomic. They moved to independent publishers, where they were nurtured and started growing again. Here’s my thoughts on why niche media businesses can actually do better when independently owned: (more…)
Tags: Emap, independent publishers, IPC, Media Pioneers, niche titles, specialist magazines, specialist media, specialist media show
Posted in b2b, business strategy, consumer, news, opinions, people and culture
Regional digital media sector comes of age
Monday, August 17th, 2009Being based 100 miles North of London - albeit on a very fast train line - and working principally with specialist media businesses and a range of SMEs in the Midlands, I’ve had two main frustrations in creating digital media and marketing strategies for regional clients. Firstly, the digital agency world is overwhelmingly London-centric, and secondly, there is a complete dearth of standard qualifications and accreditations for digital agencies, creating a minefield for regional small or medium businesses seeking reputable providers to implement their digital media and marketing strategy. So I was cheered to hear two pieces of news, that should help strengthen the regional digital agency sector, and safeguard regional clients. (more…)
Tags: accreditations, agency relationships, IAB, OneDigital, qualifications, Regional digital agencies
Posted in b2b, consumer, implementation, marketing, opinions
Thoughts from the Media Futures Conference 2009
Thursday, July 9th, 2009I took part in a panel discussion at the Media Futures Conference last week (#mfc09), organised by the multi-talented and well-connected Nico Macdonald. A wide range of media gurus from BBC, LBS, C4, ITV, PA, Techcrunch, Enders, Bloomberg and many more contributed their, often radical, ideas on the future of media: covering consumer behaviour, technology and funding models. There was a focus on broadcast entertainment and news, but the conclusions are applicable I believe to all media businesses and those who supply them or use them to reach key audiences. Here’s my take on the main themes: watch this blog for more thoughts as it all starts to sink in. (more…)
Tags: #mfc09, broadcast, convergent devices, media brands, media business models, media futures conference, media spaces, newspapers, Nico MacDonald, Penmaen Media, print, sushi oconsumer, TV
Posted in b2b, business strategy, consumer, content, news, opinions
Can subscriptions save newspapers?
Wednesday, March 11th, 2009Everywhere you look, newspaper business models are in free-fall. The rapid decline in classified ads - especially recruitment, motors and property - has unhinged the old order where readers got reams of quality journalism at a low price, and organisations had a ready outlet for news releases and relevant advertising. (more…)
Tags: content, newspapers, paid-for content, subscriptions
Posted in business strategy, content, marketing, opinions
Reinventing online content for publishers
Sunday, May 10th, 2009There’s been much debate in the last week on charging for content. Newspapers like the Guardian that were previously adamant that all their content should be free, are now thinking about charging for specific information to targeted groups, eg media guardian. The continued pressure on advertising revenue is forcing newspaper and magazine publishers to make dramatic cuts in editorial. I’ve been thinking about how publishers can reinvent the way they think about creating content, and restructure their editorial investment accordingly. See my earlier post on paid-for content for some extra tips. Here’s some radical ideas on inverting the traditional pyramid of editorial investment, with news as the broad base, and a small amount of added value content at the top: (more…)
Tags: calculators, comment, consumer, content, editorial, Guardian, Media Guardian, news, online tools, opinion, paid-for content, publishers, subscription
Posted in business strategy, consumer, content, opinions
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