Handle Media was founded in 2020 by Misha Vaxman after he finished working with oOh!Media as a client engagement director.
Vaxman saw the opportunity to create an agency that covers both media and creative, and so partnered with and acquired 500 Digital Media, a video production agency, to achieve that.
Vaxman spoke to Mediaweek about the agency’s specialisation, its growing clients, getting through the pandemic and what is in store for Handle Media in the year ahead.
The agency founder explained that his goal with Handle Media is to be a creative lead media agency. “From a media perspective, there’s a lot of competition, and everyone’s got good relationships. We could all get good rates for our clients, but good rates don’t necessarily mean results,” he said.
Vaxman noted that creative was the area where the highest ROI would come from in the research he would present from the likes of Analytics Partners.
“For me, it was always the focus to have a creative lead approach and strategy to all media buying.
“Now, we have put both of those businesses, they still run separate businesses, but now they’re part of a bigger group called the CLMG, which is the Creative Lead Marketing Group,” he added.
Vaxman on his role, the agency’s specialisations, key clients and recent wins
Vaxman is active in his roles at Handle Media and 500 Digital Media, leading a team of 21. He shared that in addition to dealing with clients, running the accounts team, known as their client partnership managers, as well as their social team.
The agency founder also explained that he mentors team members across both businesses, helping them cross-sell, upsell and create opportunities for clients, and even allowing up to three hours a week for personal development.
Handle Media’s specialisation started in out-of-home and has since evolved to include media buying, TV and radio. Vaxman said: “We’ve also broadened out the paid search team as well from a Handle perspective.”
The founder explained that 500 Digital Media focuses on the visual side of the business – from filming, producing, storyboarding, script and editing. It also manages the strategy and digital side of the company on relevant platforms such as LinkedIn, Pinterest, Facebook and TikTok. Vaxman noted that Handle Media comes in and is then used to find suitable placements.
Among the companies that have benefitted from Handle Media’s work include BTC Markets, which Vaxman credited for giving them a big opportunity. The agency has worked with brands like Bae Juice and Alya Skin. The agency also signed on Footscray Market and RedBull Spect Eyewear earlier this year.
The impact of the pandemic on Handle Media
Vaxman shared that while the pandemic was tough on the business, they approached the challenge with an attitude and mindset of opportunity.
“That was the focus that whatever happens, we need to look at it as an opportunity because if we look at it as doom and gloom, we’re going to get stuck with everyone else,” he said.
The agency founder also noted that he proactively used his network and LinkedIn to approach some businesses and gauge their interest in a fresh start which has proved to be successful.
Vaxman revealed that the agency was able to take on new businesses, which has helped them to continue to grow and thrive, particularly after covid.
“We’ve been fortunate that during COVID, we were able to pick up more clients. I found that it was a time of uncertainty, and I think we took that opportunity to pick up clients like a Bae Juice that probably wouldn’t have looked at us prior,” he said.
“They were kind of lost with what everyone was doing. They had five agencies before us, then they moved to our group. So, I think our opportunity has been this creative-led approach and accountability.
“If a campaign doesn’t go right, media will blame creative, creative will blame media, digital will blame someone else, and then that client is stuck in the middle. We tried to mitigate and completely remove that by taking on full accountability. But then also living and dying by the sword, as such,” he added.
Handle Media in the year ahead
Vaxman noted plenty of growth for Handle Media and 500 in the year ahead, particularly in the TikTok space.
“I think we’ve got a big opportunity there in terms of what that platform can do for clients when used correctly, so that, as a group, is going to be a focus for us,” he said.
“From a Handle Media side, it’s more about a different style of creative approach of how we were brief clients in terms of starting briefs from a creative angle, rather than just a media angle,” he added.
Vaxman also noted that there would be a significant focus on the online space. He said: “We still think that even though some people have lost a lot due to ad blocking, and IOS, we’ve found a business overseas in Germany that’s created their own pixel, which allows clients to correct 100% of data that goes on to their website.”
“For us, that’s a really big game-changer to be able to use that first-party data to retarget on relevant platforms. So it is going to be a huge game-changer for our clients,” Vaxman added.
On the IMAA
Handle Media joined the IMAA last year, and Vaxman spoke highly of the benefits their membership has brought to the agency.
“They’re very good at providing ongoing training across all the platforms, across all suppliers. They do a good job of giving you the tools to arm yourself to be the best agency you can be, which I appreciate.”
“They’ve provided us with the ability to get insurance for our clients and brokered great deals. So, from a P&L perspective, that is a huge win. And from an insurance perspective for ourselves as business owners, it is a huge win as well,” he added.
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Top image: Misha Vaxman
