Mediaweek held its inaugural Power Lunch in October, celebrating the successes of the media industry and the people who make it.
IMAA’s CEO, Sam Buchanan took the 9th spot on the Agency 50 list. Buchanan spoke to Mediaweek about being a voice for the independent agency sector and reflected on the industry body’s achievements.
MW: Congratulations on making the #9 spot on our Mediaweek Agency 50 list. What was your reaction to your placement?
Sam Buchanan: I was, of course, honoured to receive this place on the list among such amazing company. I think it’s also a reflection of our IMAA Board, Leadership team and our incredible members for making the IMAA what it is today and its strong position in the industry. I’m immensely proud that we have made big strides in levelling the playing field for indies and provided a strong voice for the indie sector.
I see this as a reflection of the growing swell of support for indies as being a strong differentiator for clients looking to work with senior people and nimble, smart agencies. This recognition is a win for the entire indie sector.
Sam Buchanan with Mediaweek’s Greg ‘Sparrow’ Graham
MW: How does your position on the list reflect the achievements made by IMAA?
SB: Since its inception in 2020, The IMAA has worked tirelessly to advocate for the indie media agency sector and build the indie agency profile in the media which has been really successful due to the appetite for a different point of view than just the holdcos.
We have also worked hard to launch a swag of initiatives for our members – to both benefit indie agencies but to also make out industry a better place. The IMAA has grown to 148 members across the country, 40 media partners and four industry associations supporting us.
Our initiatives this year started with our first big live event since COVID, Operation Bounceback, which was very well received. We have hosted 17 partner events, including Audio Unlimited and Digital Deep Dive.
Our industry is big supporters of social and ethical responsibility and as such as we have this year launched the Diversity & Inclusion Council, Project Earth with a series of initiatives and partnerships including carbon neutral events, and the IAB Careers Week Fair with at APAC Adweek.
We were successful in achieving the first stage of our Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) and a partnership with King’s Narrative to improve the lives of Aboriginal people. The IMAA negotiated more than 30 group deals, ranging from insurance to research, that our members will benefit from.
Government lobbying was an important imperative during the year to again help level the playing field for indie agencies to compete effectively for all Government tenders. This will continue into the 2023.
MW: What are three industry issues on your mind, and in your opinion, how can they be solved or achieved
SB: The three issues for the indie media agency sector are around staff industry education, the talent crisis and access to tech tools and data and insights to help our members effectively compete.
The IMAA has sought to address these issues with initiatives such as the IMAA Academy, a comprehensive and certified training program for new and existing agency staff which we will launch in the new year.
The talent crisis seems to be slowing down, however we have worked hard to promote the benefits of working with independents, have a Careers Fair presence, a learning portal and careers board on our website, the Leaders for Good program and a global inter-agency transfer program with thenetworkone.
This year we successfully negotiated 30 group deals tech and data platforms, consumer insights, content marketing, industry software, marketing measurement, client relationship management, a virtual receptionists company, insurance and industry reporting tools, HR management and out-of-home verification. All of these deals have been welcomed by members to help their businesses grow.
MW: What is your outlook for IMAA in 2023?
SB: Despite the economic headwinds, our members remain largely positive for 2023. In our latest Pulse Survey, 45% of agencies have reported growth this year of 20% or more, and almost 40% report growth of between 10% to 20%.
Next year, 35% expect growth of more than 20% and 25% expect growth of between 10% and 20%. Key to success will be an agency’s ability to be nimble and agile amidst uncertainty, providing clients with real ROI and a focus on business objectives, rather than other measures. Indie agencies are well placed for this.
MW: What are your hopes for the industry in 2023?
SB: Of course my hope – and expectation – is that the indie sector will continue to thrive, we continue to grow our membership and I’m excited for the many initiatives we will launch next year. Stay tuned! I hope clients continue to see the real benefits of working with an indie agency.
There is a real groundswell for agencies to have a better representation and inclusion of diverse staff and to effect some positive outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Coupled with ESG initiatives and the desire to improve our planet, our industry will be better for it on so many levels.
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Top image: Sam Buchanan