Who is on the Committee?

Garrett O’ Beirne, Group Digital Managing Director of Omnicom Media Group & Patrick McConville, Director of Digital at Starcom.

What is the Committee concerned with?
The use of technology in our daily lives is the ‘new normal’ – the digital revolution has happened, consumers have been mobilised and the call to arms is being heard by clients and agencies alike. The IAPI Digital Sub Committee have developed a workplan that aims to put digital media, data and technology firmly at the heart of IAPI in 2016. Technology is continuing to drive forward and we need to keep members up-to-date with developments so that they can continue to create, innovate and grow their client’s businesses, and their own.

What are our Goals and Objectives in 2016?

From an advocacy perspective the ‘Guide to Finding the Right Agency’ will receive a refresh and include guidance on best-practice for conducting digital branding and web development pitches. IAPI will also continue to work with other industry bodies to help establish agreed standards and move towards a consensus on the big issues facing digital as its development continues. As agencies we are one part of a broad interdependent digital ecosystem, in 2016 we will be working with UCD’s Innovation Academy to ensure that the needs of agencies, and our clients, are considered early by start-ups as they develop their products.

IAPI member agencies will only continue to thrive if we can attract the best digital talent and ensure that a career in advertising is seen as providing an innovative, creative and rewarding. With this in mind, the Future Heads, ASKvertising Graduate Recruitment Showcase will include a specific focus on data and technology roles in agencies and will aim to attract interest from a wider and more diverse pool of talent.

In 2016, a century on from that other significant revolution the enormous significance of which wasn’t fully appreciated by its contemporaries, our industry is coming to terms with its own revolution. This is a revolution that brings great opportunity for agencies. Digital is empowering and augmenting our creativity as an industry and the digital work programme for IAPI in 2016 seeks to help all members get the most out of it – so get involved.

The Work Plan

The focus of the work plan in 2016 will be to support members in three key areas: Training, Advocacy and Recruitment Outreach.

The training aspect of the digital workplan kicked off in February with the ‘Social Media Measurement Training’. Coming up soon is a session on ‘Strategic Planning for a Connected World’ which will be of interest to anyone looking to develop their capabilities in non-linear planning. Also on the schedule is an interactive workshop showcasing the off-the shelf opportunities for technology integration offered by ‘The internet of things’.

For those not able to make it to the industry’s big global gatherings we’ll make sure you are not missing out. The latest in data-driven creativity from Cannes will be showcased as part of the annual Canneanalysis event. Following the success of Canneanalysis we have added an update on the latest technology trends emerging from Austin at SXSW 2016 to the schedule.

The Design Thinking Masterclass will be returning and it gives the chance to take a deep-dive into the prototyping and design process that so many of our most successful tech start-ups use to develop market disrupting innovations.