Matrix Launches New Ad Sales Automation/Convergence Advocacy Group

Global ad sales platform Matrix has launched the Media Ad Sales Council (MASC) to aid in advancing the media ad sales ecosystem through automation, convergence, and inclusion. The new group, comprising thought leaders from across the industry and representing different verticals and viewpoints, will focus on identifying outcomes and workflows that will advance how television will be bought and sold within the next three years.

More specifically the group will examine the standard of measurement for all advertising, pinpoint manual buy-sell transactions that can be automated and explore the development of a next-gen independent rep firm platform.

MASC members consist of founders Mark Gorman, Matrix CEO, and Brenda Hetrick, Matrix CRO, as well as contributing members Al Lustgarten, SVP, Hearst Television; Joe Lampert, senior program manager, OmniMedia Solutions Group; Melanie Webb, VP sales operations, Tegna; Missy Evenson, VP sales, local media, E.W. Scripps; Brett Adamczyk, VP finance and strategy, Cox Media Group; Peter Jones, head of local sales/senior director, strategic partners, Premion.

“We recognize that with so many standards, initiatives, and companies all working independently to evolve their businesses and processes for the future, that we are doing a disservice to the industry-at-large and its evident need for convergence — across platforms, verticals, and companies involved in the buying and selling of media advertising,” said Gorman. “MASC is a step toward convergence and commitment, whereby we are working together as a collective group to foster ideas and solutions that can help move the needle of the industry as a whole, forward.”

MASC will publish position papers, formulated by the group, that identify opportunity and action for moving key deliverables forward that can greatly impact and evolve the way the industry buys and sells television. The group, which meets monthly, will extend viewpoints to be both representative of and beneficial to the entire media advertising ecosystem. Where applicable, members of the group will participate in speaking opportunities and panel discussions relevant to the group’s efforts and progress.

“The traditional media landscape is currently experiencing an unprecedented period of growth and disruption with advancements in technology, data and consumption choices,” said Cox Media’s Adamczyk. “MASC provides a venue for industry leaders to discuss the challenges and opportunities that are impacting our respective businesses, while also allowing us to collaboratively outline best practices and guidance to best meet the demands of our customers and partners as we evolve.”

Matrix’s Hetrick said: “Our company is very much committed to growing the whole pie for the industry, if you will, and MASC is an opportunity for us to make more of a direct impact in doing so. Our members possess a tremendous amount of deep media domain expertise from throughout the ad ecosystem and are just as eager and committed as Matrix to sharing their insights, collaborating, and producing tangible results that accelerate the growth of the industry and our mutual businesses.”