An interview from Julia Jordan, MO UK
During a DBI conference, I met a very nice person. She came to talk with me while she didn’t know me… Her kindness really touched me : Julia Jordan !
Who are you?
Julia Jordan, MD Middle Office in the UK (since June 2015)
What was your previous experience?
I worked for 30 years in the broadcast market, during a period of great change.
When I started work the market was just analogue broadcast public service channels; ITV was a monopoly in the commercial TV market and was sold regionally. By the time I left, the TV market was transformed, comprised of hundreds of digital channel brands available as linear and on demand services across multiple delivery platforms.
My career began in advertising sales where I progressed from selling through to management and commercial strategy. I subsequently moved out of the sales arena to broaden my experience in the heart of the broadcaster business; in my last role at UKTV I was Executive Director responsible for advertising income, advertiser-funded content, technology & operations, compliance and regulatory affairs. I was also non-exec Chair of Thinkbox, the TV marketing body.
What is your vision about DATA?
That is a HUGE question! Simply put, Data is redefining marketing. The opportunity for advertisers is to understand the effectiveness and ROI of their activity, across owned, earned, shared, paid content. Ultimately data will transform the role of different media, for example TV will evolve from a traditional mass reach, broadcast medium to a mass personalisation medium through data-driven targeting. My vision is to harness data to connect and optimise our clients’ activity across all platforms in real time, to really know “which half of the advertising budget is working” and to drive results and value for our clients and for the business.
What is your vision about pureplayers like Ecselis, Mobext or Socialyse?
Our specialist platforms offer a great opportunity to present specific credentials to market according to opportunity and specific client objectives, so that we can compete not just with media agencies but with specialists and consultancies that compete with a specific proposition. They also ensure that we protect and nourish those specific skill sets in-house. Each team is the “go to” place for particular skills and for me they are also very much an integral part of a consolidated MO offering that plays as an overall team and strategically dials up or down different capabilities.
In the bigger picture Havas Village, these are centres of excellence that deliver value to the wider group, eg Ecselis is the performance hub for group wherever the main client relationship or remit sits.
Could you describe in 3 words the main differences between the “english working ethic” compared to others
Compared to others? I’m not sure — I believe we all share common values to a large extent. I would say in the UK we are “passionate”, “commercial”, “entrepreneurial”.
Have you got a favorite quote or favorite sentence to share with us?
“There’s no “i” in “team””
