2017 got off to a flying start at Thrive…can you believe we’re in February already?!
We kicked off the year on a high launching a new Thriver Perks Program that promises to deliver more exciting initiatives for our team, in particular in the areas of wellbeing and mindfulness. We have begun rolling out new technologies and investments that promote more flexible and mobile work practices. These efforts go a long way to being even more responsive to our clients and to promoting more creative and clever thinking.
We welcomed senior consultants from some of the country’s leading multi-national agencies and appointed leads to our Brisbane and Auckland offices. Both Lucinda Kennedy (Auckland) and Kristi McDonough (Brisbane) come to Thrive having run their own agencies and were inspired to take on new challenges in thriving cities that have huge potential for growth for our company and for our clients.
Our recruitment will continue this quarter, as our digital services expand and sharpen. We will create new roles and appoint new suppliers to grow and evolve our traditional and digital earned, owned and paid media model.
There are exciting conversations and new agreements in play with partners delivering really cool work in the areas of 360 and virtual reality video, and we are implementing tools that are enabling our agency to better measure and evaluate our campaigns and continue our commitment to accountability.
Our agency, like the media industry in which we operate, won’t be without its challenges as the year unfolds.
We are predicting…
even blurrier lines between editorial and paid-for native content…earned, paid and owned media will continue to merge and PR people have a real opportunity to lead the storytelling
a bigger battle for great comms talent, particularly at mid level when the global stage calls
the need to supply more quality, fast turnaround, low cost content to the media who are meeting 24/7 news requirements
And we are excited by…
the industry demanding more transparency from paid bloggers, influencers and brands
more digital and social media work finding its natural home under the PR agency umbrella
the growth of new digital news and lifestyle platforms (like WHIMN by News Corp) taking their place alongside traditional media brands
new technologies that will continue to drive greater measurement and transform the way we deliver our PR services
Thrive’s production warehouse, thrive360 in Sydney, will also move into phase two of its lifecycle. The 515sqm space has been a sensational platform for brand activations and content production. Stay tuned to see the space become an even more valuable resource to our clients, media and influencers. One clue: “technology”.
I’m looking forward to a great year ahead with so many fabulous clients who continue to challenge and inspire us.
Leilani Abels Managing Director @leilaniabels @thrivepr