John Kehoe, Managing Director of Media Agency Group described the company as the “overnight chameleon” constantly evolving and developing new services in line with their client’s needs and demands.
Media Agency Group is part of the agency landscape as a result of one too many “Wouldn’t it be great if” conversations. From humble beginnings, the company started as a small Outdoor Media owner named Transport Media and realised from client feedback their services could be much more valued as a media agency as their clients found buying advertising space in the outdoor arena a daunting task simply due to the amount of products and media owners in the market.
Transport Media sold their Outdoor Media formats and re-established themselves as an Independent Media Planning and Buying Agency specialising in advertising on transport products such as Advans, Bus, Rail & Tram, Taxi and Tube; and then created their secondary division Out of Home International to deal with Airport, traditional and digital billboards, interactive and ambient media.
Building relationships with media owners across the UK the team negotiated excellent agency rates, buying Outdoor advertising space in large quantities and passing the saving onto their clients, who would usually be charged higher rate card costs when going to the media owners direct.
It was a winning formula. Since announcing their agency status in 2010 as a team of four the business has grown rapidly, employing fourteen members of staff and boasting billings of £5,000,000 in 2011.
MD John Kehoe’s ambitions have not stopped there, and commented. “The Media Agency group continues to flourish despite the global recession as we continue meeting the demands of our clients with high quality service, bespoke advertising campaigns at affordable rates, and dedicated consultants servicing their every need.
Aside from WPP and Aegis, It was baffling to me that there was not an independent ‘one stop shop’ for smaller clients and agencies [who cannot commit to a large spend] to turn to when planning marketing and advertising campaigns. As specialists filling this gap, the company grew overnight. We are plan to continue to develop into radio, press, online and television advertising.”
Radio Airtime Media has been welcomed by the industry, Daniel Thompson, Commercial Director of Global Radio Manchester said “As a commercial director within the UK’s largest radio media owner, Global radio, I am always excited to work with clients who not only understand our industry fully but have a genuine passion for it. Working recently with Yvonne and the team who are about to launch Radio Airtime Media has been a pleasure. They are professional, well equipped and incredibly committed to their future success in this industry and I have no doubt that that success will quickly come.”
Establishing her career in Radio Advertising, Yvonne McCusker currently at the Media Agency Group has many years’ experience as in-house Account Manager at Bauer Media and GMG Radio and will now be heading up Radio Airtime Media becoming manager of the division.
RAM promises to work in a new and unique way, independently recommending only the best stations, programmes, sponsorship and advertising opportunities to meet the clients brief, again passing agency savings onto clients.
Yvonne McCusker said: “Our vision is to create a group of specialist divisions to promote our clients in the very best way using a standalone advertising opportunity or multi-format campaigns to effectively target their audience.
The team at the Media Agency Group has a wealth of expertise in Media Planning and Buying, having worked with a number of major brands from Bloomberg Businessweek, The NHS, Ernst & Young, and Sandals. The growth in our business to service all of their advertising needs was an obvious path to take.”
Radio Airtime Media will launch on 1st March 2012 and like all divisions will work with clients and agencies with small budgets, to those who want to commission million pound campaigns.
The Media Agency Group is going to be held as ‘The complete advertising solution’ and over the next year expect they to double turnover, introduce further Press, Online and Television media planning and buying services, and employ at least an extra 50 staff.
Read the coverage on our story in How-do, The Drum, Radio Today, Radio Centre and Salford Online.