Five Things Friday is a departure from the interviews and features we typically post. Part conversation, Part Proust Questionnaire – but with just five questions, Five Things Friday (hashtag alert! #5TF) shows the lighter (and sometimes sillier) side of our interviewees. We’ll be talking to everyone we can get our grubby little hands on; it’s our way of introducing you to the communications, marketing and creative cognoscenti who rock their respective industries. This week, Lori Franze chats with media mister Matan Ahlfeld.
Why media? How did you end up doing what you’re doing?
Growing up, I was always fascinated with advertising. I thought Angela Bower on Who’s The Boss had the coolest job. Ironically, I did my business degree at Schulich School of Business, but advertising was never part of the program.
It’s actually an interesting story how I ended up getting into media: To be honest, going into it, I had no idea what it even was. Back in 2000, My uncle, Peter Simpson, was a movie producer at the time, found out I was looking to get into the ad business, suggested I interview at an agency (Genesis Media) that was across the hall from his office. It sounded interesting, so I ended up taking the job. Sadly, my uncle lost his battle to cancer in 2007. It was at his memorial service that I discovered he was one of the pioneers in the media industry. Back in the 60s, he founded Media Buying Services (MBS), the first ever stand-alone media agency in North America.
I always knew him to be in the movie business, so it was a surprise and a delight to hear that I’m following in his footsteps.
What is the biggest change to your industry that you’ve had to deal with? How did you manage?
There have been a couple major shifts I’ve had to deal with in the industry.
The obvious one is the massive shift from traditional media into digital over the last 10-12 years. It wasn’t until about probably 2004 or 2005, when agencies started to have to hire digital media “experts”. These were generally very tech savvy individuals And it wasn’t until about 2008 or so that as traditional media planners, it became quite evident, that learning digital side of the business was integral to the our survival in this industry. However, the challenge we as experienced, traditional media planners faced, was that the larger agencies we worked for, needed us to stay working on the traditional side.
This was one of the reasons I set off on my own. It was an adapt-or-die situation. I made sure I met a lot of people. I picked their brains, and tried to learn as much as I possibly can about the digital world.
I also went on my own because I noticed there was a gap in the servicing of smaller-sized accounts. Large agencies would put their resource priority on more profitable accounts, leaving smaller ones feeling like a small fish in a large pond. Further, it was those smaller accounts that had to put a higher emphasis on digital, because they were not able to afford National advertising, or broadcast in their budget. The shift to smaller, more specialized agencies started happening, and this is where we have been able succeed.
If you could give advice to your younger self, what would it be?
Don’t sweat the small stuff. This industry is very fast-paced and pressure-filled, and it’s easy to get caught up in the minutiae. Think of the bigger picture – not only when it comes to the day-to-day tasks you’re doing, but also in your career. My business has been built purely on the relationships I’ve formed throughout my career.
Networking is also one of the most important things you can do. Meet as many people in the industry as you can. Become known. Treat everyone well.
What predictions do you have for the media industry? What will it look like in 2025?
There will no longer be “traditional vs. digital”. Every type of media is going to be funnelled through the same data point. In addition, with mobile wallets, consumer purchase habits will be even more available. “Big data” is only going to get bigger.
However, I think stricter privacy laws are going to start coming into effect. Which means advertisers are going to have to EARN the right to communicate with their consumers more than ever. The “value exchange” is going to become absolutely necessary.
If you weren’t a media guru what would you be doing to pay the bills?
Damn. Who knows? Surviving!
Matan Ahlfeld is a highly experienced media consultant. He established Ahlfeld Media Inc. in 2012 and works with his partners, agencies, and clients providing a wide range of professional services. A former director at MediaCom and Starcom, Matan brings a wealth of experience in both the US and Canada at a leadership level in various levels of media; he also has a unique aptitude for strong marketing objectives across industries such as Consumer Package Goods, Retail, Telecommunications, and Auto.
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