AdNews asked industry figures for their assessment of 2022 and outlook for next year
Sam Buchanan, CEO, IMAA
2022 has been a year of change – most for the better.
Australia fully emerged from COVID lockdowns but that didn’t mean a fully returned workforce to offices. Although the ‘work from anywhere’ phenomenon wasn’t as big as first anticipated, our industry has had to flex to adopt hybrid working models and make the office environment both attractive and ‘commute worthy’ to people who really embraced working from home.
That’s been a change for the better and, just by their nature, independent agencies had the ability to be nimble and introduce an array of staff benefits – from unlimited annual leave to weekends away in a tiny home – to not only attract but retain staff.
A real focus on mental health is also a welcome post-COVID theme. Many agencies now have their staff Mental Health First Aid accredited and staff are offered days to regroup, do something they love or volunteer, as well as Diversity & Inclusion initiatives, like the IMAA’s D&I committee, which all contribute to a happier, (mentally) healthier industry.
Then came the ‘talent crisis’, which made working arrangements and benefits even more critical. Yes, there were horror stories of people accepting but not even starting jobs to jump to another agency for an extra $20K, but for the indie sector it was not as bad as we first thought. Yes, talent shortages meant staff working longer hours but that is now a thing of the past.
Being part of an independent agency has been attractive for many talent – due to the ability to really be part of something meaningful and to effect real change – and although it’s taking agencies longer to fill roles, things are improving.
This augurs well for 2023, as our members are skilled up and ready for growth.
A key strategy for the IMAA has been to level the playing field for independents and we have achieved that through trade credit deals, group deals with suppliers, and international staff transfer programs, but it is technology that will really close the gap between indies and multinational agencies. Data, and the ability to harness data for insights, will be one of the true differentiators between agencies in the future.
Yes, we are entering, once again, unchartered waters in 2023 with growing inflation, cost of living pressures, an unsteady housing market and the ‘R’ word being used by some. These economic factors will test consumer confidence but if there is one thing that marketers learnt during COVID, it was to keep investing in their brands, which is now paying dividends.
We know of some very large client wins coming to some indie media agencies in 2023 and there is still strong confidence and optimism in our sector. And it’s full steam ahead for the IMAA with another industry wide event in early 2023 and another series of great initiatives that will benefit our members. Bring it on.
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