Marketing is always seen as a fast-paced, constantly shifting and always innovating sector and the recent few years that we’ve gone through in business has sped up the velocity of change even more. The marketing and comms sector is always on the cutting edge of the latest practices and the newest ways of working but recent times have seen the entire agency model shift significantly and who better to discuss this than someone who has been deeply involved in the space for over two decades.

In this show, we are in conversation with The Drum’s Managing Director of Events Lynn Lester. From only getting a job for being able to type fast, Lynn has climbed the ranks of media and marketing and now has over 24 years worth of experience and knowledge, 18 of those years have been with one of Marketing’s most respected publications The Drum, helping them become one of the largest industry titles in the world.

In this episode we discuss:

• The impact of Covid and pivoting to survive
• The benefits of moving into the virtual world
• The big problems marketers are facing
• A shift towards hybrid events
• The importance of submitting for awards

Links & References

Katie Street: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katiestreet/

Lynn Lester https://www.linkedin.com/in/lynnlester/

“There are 25,000 agencies out there, so to get noticed is not easy” – Katie Street [22:09] 

“Be concise and tell a story in the right kind of way” – Lynn Lester [22:55]

“Share financials in the appropriate way” – Lynn Lester [23:57]

“Make sure your testimonial is very skewed to what you’re actually talking about at that moment in time and don’t have it just general” – Lynn Lester [24:57]

“You need to write it for the award you’re entering” – Katie Street [26:11] 

“If you’re in the vicinity and there’s a hybrid going, make sure you get to the live contingency of it” – Lynn Lester [29:57]

“The world has changed and in lots of ways, for the better” – Katie Street [31:40] 

“Once you’ve got that content, you can really push it out” – Katie Street [35:22]

“You’re a winner until you’re a loser” – Lynn Lester [36:04]

“I think agencies have to get a bit smarter, to an extent, brag about what they’ve got up their sleeve” – Lynn Lester [26:39

“Just when you’re a nominee or a finalist, that’s enough” – Katie Street [37:15] 

“I think at the moment a lot of marketers are looking for, I guess, less retainer and more project lead briefs” – Lynn Lester [38:49]

“Any agency worth their salt, really understand the data game” – Lynn Lester [40:00]

“It feels like a really scary move because so many agencies don’t do that, but I definitely think because the world has changed so much that now there is an actual opportunity” – Katie Street [41:35]

“A lot of the brands are actually looking for experts in a lot of these agencies to go in and do more consulting” – Lynn Lester [42:44]

“Be aware, some clients you think will say nice things, won’t say nice things” – Lynn Lester [45:00]

“You have to push the content, it won’t just miraculously get to your audience” – Lynn Lester [47:23]

“Personally, I would much rather use budget when I’ve got something really exciting to talk about” – Katie Street [50:39]

“I think people are going to be a lot fussier on what they go to now” – Lynn Lester [55:04]

“Are you collaborating with other people? Are they crediting you?” – Lynn Lester [55:34]

“I think where it will become really valuable is the niche events” – Lynn Lester [1:00:54]