Julian White is the Managing Director at AdMetrics Media, a Digital Media Company with a global reach. It enables Advertisers and Agencies to navigate the digital ecosystem and take advantage of the fast-growing Display, Video and Mobile environment.
His background comes from a career in Sales and IT. After starting with Business Development and Sales in Information and Software at the advent of the Internet, he progressed to a Global Accounts role with Check Point Technologies heading up the global Finance and Banking Internet Security sector. He then moved from London to Stockholm to co-Direct Business Connection, a Management Consulting company in Software Projects and Advertising. They sold the company to Management Events, a Finnish Events company and this gave him the opportunity to create and run AdMetrics Media, a UK based Digital Advertising Network that now distributes digital advertising campaigns from Advertisers to global Publisher websites through Display, Video and Mobile channels.
Here is an interview with him about Digital Advertising and Women's Annex in Afghanistan, Central and South Asia.
FA: Please tell us about yourself and your background.
JW: My business background is Sales, Management and Digital Advertising. I moved to Stockholm 7 years ago where I co-ran a Management Consulting company before starting AdMetrics Media.
FA: Please tell us about Admetricsmedia and the philosophy behind it.
JW: AdMetrics Media is a digital advertising company with a global presence. Our primary goal is to represent Publishers and Networks with their inventory while distributing direct and Real Time Bidding advertising campaigns. We also represent Advertisers and Agencies wishing to expand their Branding and Retargeting results. Our philosophy is to form long term relationships with mutual respect. We don’t have outside investors, so we have the opportunity to expand organically and we can create a more personal approach with the companies that we work with.
FA: What is your opinion of Women's Annex and its operation in Afghanistan, Central and South Asia?
JW: I think that Women’s Annex is a pioneering effort in a turbulent and violent part of the world. Afghanistan in particular have strong cultural views that make this type of initiative very difficult, although as the report states, the fact that most women stay in or around the home could be a key asset. It’s difficult to place an opinion on Women’s Annex without touching on the religious aspects. Clearly it is important to have freedom of expression and equality for women, but this is within a framework of strong religious ideals that seek to prohibit the freedom of women and control their place within society. The challenge is to enable tolerance to allow women in these countries to express themselves more.
FA: What is social media's role in your business? How much do you use it and how?
JW: Social Media does have a role within AdMetrics Media, but it is not our core activity. We provide advertising models that encompass Social Media as a way of Advertisers engaging more fully with their audience.
FA: Can Digital Marketing influence a digital, cultural revolution? If yes, how so?
JW: I believe that Digital Marketing is the key tool in providing a cultural revolution and awareness to women’s struggles. If any method can achieve this in the 21st century it has to be through Digital channels. Realistically though there are challenges to overcome, not least the role of women in Afghan society given the overwhelming male dominated society and religious beliefs. The main catalysts are likely to be strong, compelling video content which would enable high user engagement, interactivity and awareness. I can imagine that a range of Social Media experiences combined with cross-platform functionality could help to create a cultural difference.
FA: Where do you see the future of developing countries like Afghanistan? Do you think Digital Marketing and social media can help improve their economy and education system?
JW: I think that Digital Marketing is an enabler for many developing countries. Afghanistan has been torn up through conflict and regional power struggles and is unlikely to be a prosperous country given it’s Geo location. Realistically I wonder what infrastructure is available to the masses in terms of PCs and connectivity. For those fortunate to access the Internet they have a powerful tool to help improve education and understanding and if infrastructure can develop further then this would be a strong enabler. If any one mechanism can make a difference it has to be the Internet, but this will also need to go hand-in-hand with the country’s social acceptance.
