Media Forum: Can ITV cut out media shops?

Is ITV's new client-focused initiative a threat to media agencies?

ITV is by no means the first media owner to reckon that it can be a lot more creative than your average media agency. Or your average creative agency, come to that.

For many years now, publishers in both the newspaper and magazine markets have responded eagerly to the sorts of opportunities that tend to arise from a blurring of the lines between editorial and advertising In contrast, agencies have been relatively slow to get their heads around some of this.

Arguably, media owners have proved better at mobilising their research resources and have more incisive insights into the mindsets of the various target markets their readers represent.

The notion had its most controversial airing recently when the Walker Media founding partner, Phil Georgiadis, used his position as the chairman of the Campaign Media Awards as a platform to argue that the separation of media planning and buying functions has left a hole that is being filled by a new type of planner - the media owner.

Broadcasters were not exactly at the forefront of this revolution, but they have been making huge strides to catch up. The digital sales house ids has gained a merited reputation over the past couple of years for thinking well beyond conventional spot advertising. A couple of weeks back, Viacom Brand Solutions created a division called Advertising and Marketing Partnerships to 'produce bespoke advertising solutions that are relevant, engaging and targeted'.

And last week, ITV followed suit - it will offer strategic planning and creative solutions direct to clients in the hope that they will be encouraged to produce innovative and bespoke new campaigns. On ITV, of course.