By: Olja Milanović
The driver of the biggest changes in advertising and communication is the media. Digitalization and data-driven communication have brought new media, and has undoubtedly modernized the old, traditional media. What are the changes, how have they affected the already rich media ecosystem and where the human being stands in all of that? This will be the theme of the Media Module – A New World of Media that will be held within the Direct Media Academy from 28 May to 30 May. If you are on the road to becoming a “new man” for a new world of media, this is the right place for you, says Marija Matić, head of this module and Data & Communications Director at DIRECT MEDIA United Solutions.
Direct Media Academy has become a recognizable education in the world of marketing and advertising. What is the focus of this year’s educational conference?
Marija Matić: Over the next five years, advertising industry will change more than in the previous 50, according to expert predictions. It is these changes that are the focus of this year’s Direct Media Academy. All the changes brought to us by digital platforms and which are persistently brought by new generations are in the forefront of the Academy. Also, we will look at all aspects of contemporary marketing and through the Branding Module, led by my colleague Mitja Tuškej, we will also talk about contemporary branding. Once again we have gathered a strong team of speakers who will talk about content, StoryTeching, technologies and innovative management on the Festival Day. This year the world marks 500th anniversary of Leonardo da Vinci’s death, so the Direct Media Academy 2019 is also inspired by the vision and the work of this visionary, and his principles of openness, universality and connectivity that marked an entire era.
What will be the topics of the Media Module – New World of Media, which you will moderate?
Marija Matić: Mainstream advertising is at a crossroads. Marketing is changing, and the media is just one part of these changes. Perhaps there’s still a prevailing view that there are traditional and new media, but within the Media module we will show that such a delineation no longer exists. We will show in which direction all the media are going, which are primarily data-driven communication and innovative technological solutions.
What would you highlight as the key changes in the media in the last ten years, and what awaits us next?
Marija Matić: It is obvious that the digital transformation of the media has marked the previous ten years. Now we are already thinking about how to further develop new platforms and how, above all through collaborative platforms, to provide more efficient targeting. Very soon we will see new technological solutions that will focus on the new way of consuming video content.
To whom is the Media module intended?
Marija Matić: Game Changer is the most common expression when describing all the changes that await us. So, the Media Module is intended for all who see themselves as a game changer. It is intended for those who want to meet both the new media, and the traditional ones but in a new setting. And it is intended for those who are ready to invest themselves, and to change themselves.
Which traits and skills should a marketing, advertising or communications expert have in the new era of communications?
Marija Matić: The traits are always the same. Every era demands dedication, thirst for new knowledge and constant self-improvement. This era will perhaps put these traits in the forefront more than ever before.
You can get the early bird entries for Direct Media Academy via www.directmediacademy.com until May 1!
About Marija Matić
Marija Matić has been with the DIRECT MEDIA United Solutions for almost 20 years, and she is currently the Data & Communications Director, responsible for Data, Research, Insight and Creative sectors within the DIRECT MEDIA United Solutions system. As she always looks to the future, she was also tasked to manage development of new services, internal tools and research, as well as advanced methods including machine learning.
She has participated in over 50 conferences and panels in Serbia and the region, and gladly shares her knowledge with young leaders through internal educational programs of the agency, but also through external projects. Marija is the first moderator of the media module of AcademIAA, organized by IAA Serbian Chapter.
