The communications world has changed. Digitalisation has made it easier for audiences to shut brands out of the picture. Most agencies are recognising this: but at Vizeum we believe that unless we Start From a Different Place, we will fail to translate this understanding into action.
The tried-and-trusted brand strategies no longer work; new problems demand new solutions. Rather than thinking, “what does the brand want to say?” we begin with: “what do consumers want to engage with?” Rather than thinking, “what does the media plan look like?” we ask ourselves: “what is the story of engagement that we want to create?”
Put simply, we need to turn the media plan on its head. For too long planners have started with traditional solutions and then tried to build in interaction and innovation at the back end. We start by identifying the defining moment – when people can participate in and interact with the brand – and then build everything else around that moment
This philosophy informs every aspect of the company – from the creation of communal workspaces to the way we structure our media teams; from the new executional capabilities we are developing to a more sustainable use of our resources.
It is easy to talk in the abstract about the ‘digital revolution', and much harder to make sense of the forces that are transforming the media, and to harness them to drive coherent communication strategies that drive business transformation. Vizeum helps its clients to take on that challenge.
Leanne Stott, Receptionist
Before joining Vizeum in 2009, Leanne has been on the comedy, acting and presenting circuit since 2006. You can also see Leanne presenting on QVC or performing on the comedy circuit in London. Quoted in Time Out as ‘Lovely and divine’. Leanne also freelances in events and has travelled the world.
Leanne provides a professional and first class reception service at Vizeum and is part of our client service team.
Mandy Cross, Press Buying Manager
Mandy is one of the senior members of our press team working across a range of clients including Twentieth Century Fox, Carnival Cruises and Heinz. Mandy has 6 years experience working with press media owners to develop fully integrated campaigns for her clients.
Stewart Gurney, Associate Director - Planning
Stewart joined as a graduate in 2003. He now is a Senior Planner on Coca-Cola GB and SeeSaw TV.
Stewart takes great pride in ensuring consumer insight is at the heart of all of his campaign planning and has been responsible for delivering some of Coca-Cola's strongest media innovation.
Grant Millar, Managing Director
Grant is Managing Director of Vizeum, supporting the efforts of the wider team across all our UK clients.
Grant joined Vizeum in 2005 after 7 years as BT’s Head of Planning & Media. Client experience has made Grant passionate about Vizeum being a point of integration across our clients’ business-with roster agencies and media owners. Collaboration is as important a characteristic of the agency as delivering phenomenal media value, a digital perspective, innovation, great thinking and rigorous results-focussed plans.
Matthew Platts, Managing Partner - Investment
Matthew has worked for Vizeum for 16 years since joining as a Graduate TV Buyer. He has been part of the management team for the last 8 years with responsibility for the commercial side of the business including trading and investment. He brings considerable experience of top-level group negotiation and translates this into real value for Vizeum clients.
Matthew manages the implementation team, overseeing Simon Bevan (Head of Broadcast), Natalie Rutherford (Head of Print Trading), Hannah Murphy (Head of Print Development) and Zoë Schmid (Creative Solutions Director).
Neil Cunningham, Head of Online Planning
Neil joined Vizeum in 2006, helping to establish the online team as they relocated from sister Aegis company Diffiniti. Last year Neil became head of online planning responsible for delivering superior online services for clients.
Neil is passionate about ensuring Vizeum is the most integrated and dynamic agency in the market, working alongside the planners and making online a crucial part of the overall mix, constantly adapting our approach to make the most of every opportunity for every client.
Nick Dickson, Online Trading & Technology Director
Nick has worked in online media since 1999, joining the Aegis group in 2003. As head of online trading and technology, Nick’s remit is to ensure Vizeum clients receive the best pricing and service in the market but also harness the latest available technology.
Since 2003, Nick has managed and overseen all digital activity for the AOL account.
Paul Hutchison, Managing Partner - Planning
Paul started as a media auditor at Billetts before joining Vizeum as a planner on the Peugeot and RAC business. 5 years later, Paul was Associate Director on HBOS and Coca-Cola.
Paul switched into Account Planning at creative agency DLKW for 18 months, but was brought back to Vizeum to head up the HBOS and Heinz accounts. A year later Paul was made Managing Partner and now also runs the BMW business.
In 2007 Paul was the first ever non-client delegate on the Marketing Society's Marketing Leaders programme.
Piers Taylor, Managing Partner - Planning
Piers has worked at Vizeum on the planning side of the business since 1995, starting as a graduate and progressing to Managing Partner in 2000. He leads a team of 12 people.
Piers is responsible for the planning of the Coca-Cola, Eurostar and Panasonic brand portfolios and has worked with Coca-Cola GB since 2001. Piers has overseen the Eurostar and Panasonic accounts since 2005.
Roxanne Lomas, Business Director
Roxanne is a Business Director specialising in the FMCG and retail categories, currently focused on Coca-Cola and IKEA. Roxanne has worked in the industry for 10 years – beginning her career at MEC, joining Aegis 8 years ago. Roxanne recently completed a 6 month client secondment and now has first-hand experience of the pressures that brand directors face and the role of the media agency can play supporting them. Roxanne also takes a leading role at Vizeum across training and development.
Simon Bevan, Head of Broadcast
Simon is Head of Broadcast at Vizeum, responsible for all our clients broadcast media output. This ranges from negotiation at Aegis Group level to aiding and delivering bespoke broadcast solutions for Vizeum clients. Simon has worked in media since 1994 where he joined Vizeum as a graduate TV buyer, he now has major market leverage and developed an industry leading knowledge of future TV technology and its commercial opportunities.
Stuart Bowden, Deputy MD & Head of Strategy & Planning
Stuart Bowden recently joined Vizeum as Deputy MD & Head of Strategy & Planning. For the last three years Stuart has been Head of Strategy at MEC where he has led pitch and client teams on Orange, the COI and Lloyds Banking Group. He has experience working client side and as a senior Account Planner and Account Director in leading advertising agencies. Stuart's core skill is a blending of hard business planning and creative implementation.
Stuart Newman, Managing Partner - Planning
Stuart joined Vizeum (formerly BBJ) in 1996 as a Planner and was made a Managing Partner in 2000. Stuart manages the accounts for some of Vizeum’s biggest UK clients, including 20th Century Fox, Discovery Networks and IKEA.
Stuart’s skill base covers the strategic direction of accounts while still remaining hands-on with campaign delivery. Stuart also takes responsibility for new business at Vizeum. Prior to joining Vizeum Stuart worked at Starcom on the Proctor and Gamble and Texaco accounts.
- Vizeum UK is a local office of the Vizeum international (www.vizeum.com) network of media agencies, comprising more than 53 offices in 42 countries globally, with a team of about 100 in the UK.
- We have 20 years of experience in planning and buying media in the UK.
- Vizeum is wholly owned by Aegis Group plc (www.aegisplc.com), one of the largest global marketing services groups in the world.
- We still work for our founding client after all this time, and we are proud to work with some of the best brands in the UK.