BARCELONA — It was already consulting for media companies across the industry. Now MediaLink’s acquisition by Ascential, the company which runs the Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity is set to give the firm a stronger role easing the concerns of worried brand execs.
In fact, CEO Michael Kassan says the company plays kind of a “therapist” function for agencies and brands at risk of a bitter – and unwarranted – break-up.
Speaking about the so-called Pitchapalooza of 2015, when an estimated $25bn in brands’ agency accounts was up for grabs in a record year of contract review, Kassan tells Beet.TV in this video interview: “You don’t go all the way to review all the time. Maybe you just need a therapy session.
“(If) you have a rough patch with your partner in your personal life, you don’t automatically separate or get a divorce. Many times, you go see a therapist to work through it.”
Early in February, London-based Ascential, a B2B media company, announced it would acquire MediaLink, which has more than 120 people in multiple US offices, with each company remaining independent.
But Ascential said: “MediaLink will continue to build on its relationship with Cannes Lions and start new ones with other Ascential products where appropriate.”
And Kassan sees the synergy. He tells Beet.TV: “They operate many festivals – Money2020 … – through WGSN, an enormous amount of information services, trend analysis and what-not. The opportunity for MediaLink … is interesting for further enhancement.”
We interviewed him during Mobile World Congress at a MediaLink-hosted reception.