Not all of our projects can be made public. In some cases it has to do with non-disclosure agreements and once in a while clients insist on absolute control over the public relations.
28 February, 2012
Following the momentum created by a highly successful streak that saw the company expand into new markets, open operational branches overseas and more than double its client portfolio, Adgistics has started 2012 buzzing with energy. Our first announcement of the year is the appointment of Wolfgang von Enckevort, a business process management expert with over 20 years of experience, as acting Chief Technical Officer. In his new role, Wolfgang will oversee Adgistics’ research and development, ensuring our offering supports an ever more ambitious business strategy. In conversation he is cordial, excessively polite, highly competent and contagiously enthusiastic. His laughter goes well with a name any self-respecting James Bond villain would kill for; he doesn’t have a cat. Wolfgang’s prior achievements speak for themselves but do not shed much light on his opinions. How does one find glory in the age of uncertainty? Does the future lie in turnkey software or bespoke solutions? Should we develop what we believe to be the best product imaginable or the optimal version required? A man who has been at the helm of the industry since before the world saw hybrid cars, the Kyoto Protocol and James Cameron’s Titanic, Wolfgang von Enckevort is an interesting man to talk to.
Emil: You have an impressive breadth of experience in marketing technology, how has the industry changed since the time you started?
Wolfgang: The advent of cloud-based marketing management solutions has been the major driver of change in the way marketing, advertising and media production professionals collaborate. Those solutions have quickly become virtual operating systems supporting an entire business process throughout its lifecycle, the virtual ecosystems that allow a great number of users from different countries and companies collaborate on tasks, projects and digital assets across all media channels. Without this development marketers would never have gained control over their own brand assets (and the processes that create them) and ‘Decoupling’ – the ability to select multiple suppliers – would not have the relevance it has today.
What about the Digital asset management (DAM), what are the trends that are going to define the next decade?
DAM is becoming an enterprise-level application in the way the EDM (electronic document management) systems have always been. As such, the success of DAM systems vastly depends on their ability to seamlessly integrate into other enterprise applications like ERP (enterprise resource planning) and PIM (product information system). In the future we will see DAM, CMS (content management systems) and document management solutions merging into a single software category that will not only cover all marketing operations but also service adjacent departments like sales, trading and product management.
What are the three most important prerequisites for a medium-sized independent tech company that wants to be number one in its niche?
Obey these three and you will be recognised as a serious contender.
Does the future lie in highly bespoke or standardised MRM (marketing resource management) solutions?
There is no simple answer to this question as it greatly depends on how seriously the organisation considering one or the other is willing to accept change management as a fundamental part of the solution implementation process. MRM is a resource and lifecycle management discipline and as such needs to be embraced (or at least accepted) by various process participants across a number of departments as well as their partner organisations. Once the change management team has scoped, scrutinised and re-engineered the workflow process (under consideration of the agreed business requirements) it is time to invite the vendors of both solution ‘flavours’ to demonstrate their tools’ abilities to form the backbone of the agreed workflow scenario.
Should a company looking for a cloud management solution choose one vendor, like SAP, or a number of suppliers, experts in specific fields?
I think in the future we will see more and more expert solutions, connected via an enterprise bus architecture into the corporate ERP and finance account management solutions. However, there will be a number of formerly rather disparate software disciplines merging into new solution propositions: DAM/CMS/EDM on one side and MRM/CRM (customer relationship management)/campaign automation/e-commerce) on the other. We also see that the “Big Data” – the market leaders in the enterprise application and business analytics space like SAP, SAS, Teradata and others, today do not really deliver seamless end-to-end solutions to fulfill all of the marketing and sales needs. Gartner and others have repeatedly underlined the fact that across-the-board integration is largely an illusion.
Should product development be client-driven or vendor-driven – should the vendors develop the perfect solution and make their clients and prospects understand why the solution is perfect or should the vendors listen to their customers and develop something based on expectations?
Product development needs to be vendor-driven. Product selection, configuration and customisation can, and should, be driven by the client side. In the past years we saw an increased willingness by the client-side marketeers to review and, if required, even re-engineer their processes in preparation for a solution implementation. In cases where this is an option, it is extremely valuable if a vendor can offer ‘best practice’ advice in the form of a well thought-out product, forged to suit real life workflow requirements. On the other hand, it is considerably more economical for vendors, and eventually for their clients, to rely on a standard software solution. Also, it is only a software product that has proved to work across a number of different clients that can be deemed robust yet flexible enough to easily cope with changing business requirements within each of these organisations.
How important is marketing? We are talking of business-to-business solutions, provided the product is great, there is really no need for extensive marketing, the customers should come to you, right?
Many solutions out there look great and are in the market certainly with the right intentions. This is why recommendation marketing is key. Word-of-mouth probably is the best, if not the only way to convey a business solution proposition composed of well-designed and fit-for-purpose software products backed by a skilled team of pre-sales, sales, implementation and support experts who bring the solution to life and guarantee on-going service reliability.
You are familiar with Adgistics’ product and service propositions, what do you believe are our unique selling points, how do we differ from other players?
Adgistics distinguishes itself through its rigorous focus on user experience and brand value improvement. Smart software solutions should be taken as a given, but the art of developing a deep understanding of a client’s needs and processes is often overlooked by other players in the field. I see Adgistics at the forefront of a new generation of enterprise software solutions that truly aim to make the lives of marketeers and other creative professionals both easier and more productive.
You are quite known in the industry as an MRM consultant. Would you like to see Adgistics’ consultancy offering expanding over time or would you prefer it to concentrate on developing more advanced products?
Consulting is an integral part of any enterprise solution. Once a supplier is chosen, there needs to be close collaboration between the vendor and the client stakeholders. Naturally, vendor-provided consulting work is focused on solution design and training approach whilst the client’s team masters KPI definition and change management aspects of the implementation task.
What would you do differently in your professional life if you knew 10 years ago what you know today?
So far I have been fortunate to be in the right place at the right time and in the right role. I have witnessed the drastic changes the media and advertising industries went through over the past 20 years and have been lucky enough to always be at the forefront of change. From the advent of desktop publishing, digital scanning and image setting systems, followed by the Internet revolution and, eventually, the transformation of 'software' into 'business process solutions'. It has been a very exciting journey so far; not sure my initial career aspirations would have been anywhere near as eclectic – I wanted to become a dancing instructor.
2 February, 2012
According to the Gartner’s new Emerging Technology Analysis report on Enterprise Content Management (ECM) technologies published last week, the popularity of the cloud-based solutions will continue to grow in comparison to the on-premises ones. With over a decade of experience in delivering highly popular configured solutions, Adgistics is referenced as a Cloud Services Digital Asset Management expert.
Responsible for 6% of the $4.3 billion global ECM market in 2011, cloud-based solutions are expected to almost double their share bringing it to 11% by 2015 with the predicted annual revenue growth of over 30%: way ahead of the 11.3% for the ECM software market in general. Fast and easy content sharing is mentioned as one of the factors responsible for high adoption of the off-premises solutions that have seen significant uptake since 2009.
The report also provides an expansive overview of the advantages of SaaS and cloud-based offerings, touching upon computer elasticity, disaster recovery, stronger security and higher availability to name a few. Finally, as our lives become ever more mobile, the accessibility of the off-premises systems plays an important part in their success. Marketeers, photographers and account handlers all around the world use Adgistics’ Brand Centres to manage brands in and out of the office. Adgistics is proud to support some of world’s most popular ones, including adidas, Cirque du Soleil, Ford and Vodafone.
Please contact Gartner for the full report (subscription required).
23 November, 2011
London, Wednesday 23rd November 2011, Adgistics, Brand Value Management experts and pioneers of artwork automation systems, announce the launch of their first operational company abroad.
The North American consultancy arm opens its first office in Toronto, Canada. In spite of the struggling global economy, Adgistics has experienced booming growth, doubling its client portfolio over the last 14 months. A growing number of successful pitches to international companies with North American bases made establishing an operational office in-market a necessity and is a sign of Adgistics’ commitment to its new clients. Working with Adgistics’ regional partners and prospects, the North American arm will represent the company in one of the world’s busiest markets. Having a branch in Toronto allows Adgistics to engage prospective clients, analyse their business and offer improvements first hand as well as providing better service to existing contracts.
Joe Jarrett, CEO of Adgistics, comments: “the business of Brand Value Management is booming and Adgistics takes its deserved place at the helm of it. In the last 10 months we have seen more enthusiasm and commitment from world leading companies of various verticals, CPGs to automotive, than ever before. In challenging economic conjuncture, any business wants to make its marketing supply chain more efficient and maximise return on investments – our systems do exactly that, in the most effective way possible. Brand Centres are unique, intelligent and easy to use; the success we experience is the best testimonial a company can get.”
Jill Bidgood, Head of Business at Adgistics North America, adds: “Coming from the agency world, I understand the value of brand assets. Adgistics’ intelligent systems deliver on the promise of asset management, and can help both corporate clients and agencies make the most of their resources. Adgistics’ proposition is best-in-class, as demonstrated by their European success rate. Adgistics’ offering directly addresses the North American markets’ current needs.”
Working with leading companies in Europe, North America, the Middle East and Asia, Adgistics plans to expand its global footprint with new international branches over the course of the next 18 months.
With over a decade of experience, Adgistics has an unparalleled track record in delivering robust, on-brand solutions for brand asset management and automation systems worldwide. Their systems efficiently and effectively manage the storage, repurposing, distribution and protection of all brand assets. Additional information about Adgistics is available at www.adgistics.com
For more information please contact:
Jill Bidgood, Head of Business, Adgistics North America T: +1 64 77 02 23 06 E: jill.bidgood@adgistics.com
Mike Brothers, Head of Sales, Adgistics T: +44 (0) 20 73 78 67 77 E: mike.brothers@adgistics.com
21 October, 2011
London, 21 October 2011. Adgistics, one of the world’s leading providers of artwork automation solutions, , has helped put a smile on the faces of disadvantaged youngsters around the country by sponsoring the winning team in a race which included the longest lake, the steepest tarmac road pass and the highest mountain in England – The Ford Great Lakeland Challenge.
The team had to canoe 10.5 miles along Lake Windermere, cycle 28 miles over Wrynose and Hard Knott Pass and run / climb the eight miles over 3,208 foot Scar Fell Pike.
The combination of times achieved (8 hours 55 min) and £5,000 pledged in sponsorship were enough to achieve 1st place out of teams competing in the 15th annual Ford Great Lakeland Challenge, which is set to raise £80,000 for the Wooden Spoon charity to help disadvantaged youngsters.
"This is an excellent example of how Ford & its key partners strive to help the community. The support we have had from sponsors will help Wooden Spoon continue its excellent work around the country," said team captain Nick Themistocleous.
Joe Jarrett, the CEO of Adgistics, said "We are very pleased to support such a worthwhile cause with our client Ford. The money pledged will benefit children and young people in the local communities who need some help through life."
The Wooden Spoon Society has distributed more than £15 million to over 350 national and local projects since 1983 enhancing the lives of over 500,000 children. The team members from Ford included; Vicky Allen, Howard Kee, Steve Derby, Nick Themistocleous.
With over a decade of experience, Adgistics has an unparalleled track record in delivering robust, on-brand solutions for brand asset management and automation systems worldwide. Their systems efficiently and effectively manage the storage, repurposing, distribution and protection of all brand assets. Additional information about Adgistics is available at www.adgistics.com
For more information please contact:
Mike Brothers, Head of Sales, Adgistics T: +44 (0) 20 73 78 67 77 E: mike.brothers@adgistics.com
Emil Kotomin, Marketing Executive, Adgistics T: +44 (0) 20 73 78 67 77 E: emil.kotomin@adgistics.com
23 June, 2011
London, 23 June 2011- Adgistics Ltd, the brand asset management specialist whose clients are featured on the Nasdaq-100 and Fortune 500, celebrates impressive growth results. In a struggling economy, the company's turnover has grown more than 20% in three years to December 2010. In the same period, Adgistics expanded its client portfolio by nearly 80%. Not resting on its laurels, the company has started 2011 with some of the best results in its history, growing the client base a further 25% in the first four months alone.
Joe Jarrett, CEO of Adgistics, comments: "Adgistics has seized the momentum. A business restructure and re-branding, along with the growth of our team are the ingredients of the success we observe today. 2011 has been very gratifying for us so far- a 25% growth in one of our key measurables well inside half a year is, of course, any CEO's dream. However, Adgistics is not just about growth and expansion - we greatly value every relationship we have. We do not work with companies, we work with people. I think this is one of the reasons the huge majority of our client relationships are long term - 10 years with Adidas, over 7 with Vodafone and so on." He continues: "Today Brand Centres are not avant-garde systems for visionaries, as they were when Adgistics pioneered the concept; today, having a system like ours, that enables our clients to get the most out of their resources is a must, a survival tip. I am proud to work with industry's top professionals and am very optimistic about the company's future."
For the last three years Adgistics has experienced booming growth. Market leaders of various verticals, FMCG to Insurance, have trusted us to manage their brand assets. These brands are known and loved in 134 countries, across six continents.
Adgistics expanded its reach to Toronto, Canada. Working with Adgistics' North American clients and prospects, our Canadian colleagues represent the company in one of the world's busiest markets. Having a base of operation in Toronto allows Adgistics to engage prospective clients, learning their business and offering improvements first hand. Working with leading companies in Europe, North America, the Middle East and Asia, Adgistics plans to expand its global footprint with new international branches over the course of the next 18 months.
END
With over a decade of experience, Adgistics has an unparalleled track record in delivering robust, on-brand solutions for brand asset management and automation systems worldwide. Their systems efficiently and effectively manage the storage, repurposing, distribution and protection of all brand assets. Additional information about Adgistics is available at www.adgistics.com
For more information please contact:
Mike Brothers, Head of Sales, Adgistics T: +44 (0) 20 73 78 67 77 E: mike.brothers@adgistics.com
28 March, 2011
Founded over 25 years ago in Canada, today, Cirque du Soleil is a very successful and internationally acclaimed company, responsible for the simultaneous run of 22 different shows all around the world. Grown from 74 people in 1984 to a team of 5,000 employees engaged in over 100 occupations, Cirque du Soleil is expected to awe around 15 million spectators in 2011.
Cirque du Soleil has always been more than just entertainment. It is a real-life alternative to Willy Wonka's chocolate factory- a chance to immerse oneself into something surrealistically beautiful, something out of this world, something with a touch of pure magic. Comments Joe Jarrett (Adgistics' CEO), "Brought up reading Andersen, Tolkien and Carroll, Cirque du Soleil's performances feel like portals into a fantasy. Even after seeing my first performance 15 years ago, I am still excited whenever I hear they are coming to town." He continues, "On the professional level, we are thrilled and look forward to years of strategic collaboration with the wizards of the big top, who gracefully invite us, mortals, into their dreams."
END
With over a decade of experience Adgistics has an unparalleled track record in delivering robust, on-brand solutions for brand asset management and automation systems worldwide. Their systems efficiently and effectively manage the storage, repurposing, distribution and protection of all brand assets. Additional information about Adgistics is available at www.adgistics.com
For more information please contact:
Mike Brothers, Head of Sales, Adgistics T: +44 (0) 20 73 78 67 77 E: mike.brothers@adgistics.com
28 March, 2011. For immediate release
London, 28 March 2011- Adgistics, one of the world's leading specialist providers of brand asset management and automation systems, today announced the delivery of an enhanced brand asset management system to Ford of Britain.
The Adgistics proprietary software system enables all Ford of Britain dealerships to access the Ford brand portal, allowing them to dynamically create branded marketing collateral, including adverts, spec sheets, point of sale and direct mail materials. Moreover, the system is accessible to Ford's creative agencies Wunderman and Ogilvy. They ensure that targeted, up-to-date imagery, advert- and video campaigns are always available to the dealers at the right time.
Ford has worked with Adgistics for over 7 years now. The Adgistics system enables Ford to encourage its dealerships to access Ford-branded marketing tools and templates, which can be as flexible or restricted as required. The process cuts out high design costs for Ford dealers, and it is quick.
The powerful reporting function contained within the Adgistics solution provides Ford with a full asset tracking tool, allowing them to observe which dealers are creating which communications, in turn permitting them to continuously improve and monitor usage of the service they provide.
"The solution was designed specifically with the dealerships in mind, in fact, we collected extensive dealer feedback to make the solution truly customer focussed. Our product has transformed something quite difficult, such as creating artwork for an advert for example, into something quite simple and very quick. After creating the advert within the system dealers can select a press publication and ad size from a database; the system then automatically resizes the advert and dispatches the print-ready artwork electronically to the publication in question," adds Joe Jarrett, CEO, Adgistics.
The new Adgistics system was successfully launched in support of the UK dealer launch of the new Ford Focus earlier this month. The system drastically reduces the need for in-house branding and desktop publishing expertise, ensuring consistency of brand imaging at the dealership level.
END
With over a decade of experience Adgistics has an unparalleled track record in delivering robust, on-brand solutions for brand asset management and automation systems worldwide. Their systems efficiently and effectively manage the storage, repurposing, distribution and protection of all brand assets.
Additional information about Adgistics is available at www.adgistics.com
For more information please contact:
Mike Brothers, Head of Sales, Adgistics T: +44 (0) 20 73 78 67 77 E: mike.brothers@adgistics.com
Elena Knight, Knight Marketing T: +44 (0)77 66 22 17 86 E: elena@knightmarketing.co.uk
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