'Past 12 months quite challenging for communication, advertising industry'

The past 12 months have been the most challenging and the most interesting times for the communication and advertising industry, and particularly for Pakistan. Global economic downturn, dramatic cuts to marketing budgets, explosion of social media usage hitting highest points in media behaviour, are changes in the business environment that call for changes in strategy for the advertising industry in Pakistan as in the rest of the world.
To adapt to this new trend the advertising world is turning to digital media as the next big thing in communication. That does not mean traditional advertising is out; it has its audiences. It just means that to survive under the economic pressure of the recent changes in global economy, and to retain our internationally adapt clients, we need to go digital.
The 2010 Europe and Middle East Regional Meeting and Digital Workshop was held in September in Amsterdam by ICOM, based in Colorado, is one of the world's largest networks of independent advertising and marketing communications agencies. ICOM is a (US) $2.4 billion worth, 70+ agencies strong based in 50+ countries, catering to 95% of the world's markets.
"It was a great learning experience and opportunity to bring into Pakistan the latest trends in communication and advertising and we are proud to be the usher of this paradigm shift that will bring Pakistan's advertising industry back in the game," said Jawad Humayun, Chairman of Islamabad-based Channel 7 Communication, an ICOM member and one of the leading full-service advertising agencies and pioneers in social communication and public sector advertising.
Highlights of the Regional Meeting & Digital workshop included discussions and presentations on how traditional media agencies can cope with the change in social behaviours of their audiences. Social media networks like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube have become integral parts of everyday communication and offer unlimited power to their users to leverage their businesses.
Humayun presented Pakistan's perspective on the challenges and his foresight into the dynamics of shifting from traditional to digital media. Other topics presented include client management, Digital Strategy, Industry in Transition, Mobile Computing; the most powerful communication medium, the role and opportunities in Social Media Advertising. From the ICOM management, Gary Burundt gave Network Updates, and Patrick Walhain talked about European business.-PR