It’s real, and it’s everywhere.

by deborah mALONE &

ROBERT S. BENCHLEY

You can hear it in the rustle of magazine and newspaper pages, and in the hums and clicks and buzzes and beeps of TVs, laptops, cable boxes, mobile phones and game players. You can see it in just about anything with a screen that glows, on roadside billboards and soon, according to recent news, even on airline tray tables.

But we should add one more sound — ka-ching! — and one more sight — the smiling faces of media owners worldwide.

What is it? It’s the sounds and sights of international marketing flexing its collective media muscle. Pan-regional media — whether print or television — experienced a record advertising year in 2006 (on average 15 percent over 2005, say many observers). Outdoor flourished, international revenues for national media increased, and multinational marketers embraced Internet advertising with gusto. Media owners and buyers alike worked toward more creative solutions, and integrated offerings took off. A number of key media launches are planned for 2007 — all with an eye to a global audience.

The industry saw more corporate campaigns from the energy, chemical and banking sectors. Plus nations, cities and regions — from Kazakhstan to Kuwait — began advertising for the first time in recent memory. Luxury brands stepped up their promotion in the emerging world, while continuing to support their traditional markets.

So why has pan-regional media come of age? And why now? We see five reasons:

1. There is a global optimism among CEOs who see the lure of new markets beyond their borders.

2. Advertisers realize they must take risks to stand out and think differently about how they present their image.

3. Media owners, ad agencies and media specialists have formed a creative
collaboration because content is now king.

4. Integration! Integration! Integration! Traditional lines are blurred, and multi-platform campaigns are the new standard.

5. Technology is the driver. The world is more accessible, and we are creating more media options… because we can.

But don’t just take our word for it. We reached out to more than two dozen of the brightest people in the business and asked them for their observations, their strategies and their success stories. Individually and collectively, what they have to say is both inspirational and thought-provoking. You can tell these are people who enjoy going to work in the morning. Read what they have to say, and then tell us what you think. We’ll try to share your thoughts in future issues.

	JOHN MCMENMIN
"At Dow Jones we are aggressively looking at exploiting all appropriate opportunities in the International marketplace. The past two years have shown strong double-digit advertising growth for our pan-regional publications in Europe and Asia. The launch of the “compact" format has been extremely successful, on both a reader and advertiser front. We are also looking at new ventures and partnerships." Contact: john.mcmenamin@dowjones.com
PETER MURPHY
"I work on the sexiest media brand in the world today as Al Jazeera evokes great emotion. To half of the world it represents freedom and independence, while it also instills a fierce loyalty. However, to the other half of the world, it doesn’t necessarily mean that — yet. Now with Al Jazeera in English, just watching the channel will change perceptions." Contact: murphyp@aljazeera.net

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