Celebrating Innovation around the World!

The Agency Innovators edition of The Internationalist is one of our favorites to put together from our readers’ nominations. It is always exciting to see that break-through thinking knows no bounds of geography, age or title within any organization today.
We are also noticing a few new trends this year. Among this group of 21 Innovators, more pioneering ideas are emanating at the top of the organizational pyramid than before, and more people at independent companies are making the list. There also is a loud cry for attracting and keeping good talent, and many individuals now recognize that collaboration in our complex marketing world is a requisite for true innovation.
We are also pleased to see how so many of our past Innovators have gone on to more impressive positions or larger roles in their organization. Two of note from our list of 2007 winners includes Christophe Mayer, who has made the move from ZenithOptimedia Paris to a new responsibility for global media at LVHM and Jacqui Seddon who rose within JustMedia London to Managing Director. It confirms that acknowledging innovation today means recognizing the leaders of tomorrow.
Also in this issue, Mediaedge:cia’s Andrew McLean writes about centers of excellence around the world in his piece entitled, “Not the Usual Suspects.” Andrew also calls out for the need of “a prestigious global media award.” It occurred to us at The Internationalist that after 3 years of celebrating agency innovation with many of the winners at the media specialist agencies that we, too, wanted to celebrate the work that results from Media Innovation, one of the pivotal developments in our industry today.
We are answering the need of Andrew McLean, and many others in the industry, to introduce the first INTERNATIONALIST MEDIA INNOVATION AWARDS to debut in 2009. Andrew has graciously accepted the role as Awards Chairman.

Deborah Malone, publisher