Andrew Wildes, Gleaner Writer

Changes in the Jamaican online market and the key to recession-smart advertising will be two of the main emphases of internationally renowned media innovator Robert Cauthorn at the 'Reboot Advertising' seminar to be held on Monday at the Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston.

The objective of the seminar is to expose the Jamaican media market to novel approaches in buying newspaper, online and radio products.

Cauthorn is no stranger to advertising and media. He has more than 20 years' experience in the field and his work has spanned both traditional and new media environments. He has some 14 years' experience in digital media and is responsible for the operation of the first profitable online newspaper internationally - Azstarnet.com.

In 1998, Cauthorn was the third recipient of the Newspaper Association of America's prestigious Digital Pioneer Award, the highest award in the field. He is also credited with the creation of new media products, such as Top Jobs, which is now widely used. Top Jobs has produced revenues in excess of US$60 million.

Empowering advertisers

'Reboot Advertising' will be geared, says Cauthorn, at empo-wering advertisers and advertising agents to understand the changing media landscape and the new modus operandi for operating at maximum value in a crippling global recession.

"We will be focusing on new developments in the online market; the online market in Jamaica is practically about to explode there.

"We will also (focus) on the importance for advertisers, advertising agencies, to concentrate on really understanding who the audience is that they are delivering to," he said.

"In times past, you would just throw money out there and say this media company says they have this number of readers, that media company says it has that number of readers, and because the economy was good, you could just throw money at the problem. But now, in a difficult economy, it's important to understand it."

Cauthorn added: "Maybe those audiences overlap and if those audiences overlap, that could be good if you're trying to have frequency. But if what you want is reach, then you don't want that overlap, and so you need to understand who that audience is that you are trying to reach with your advertising. We're gonna drill down on how to do that."

Media-buying possibilities

Cauthorn was sought out by The Gleaner to share with the Jamaican market the exciting media-buying possibilities in a changing news-media market.

Karin Cooper, corporate affairs and marketing manager of The Gleaner Company, stated: "This is a strategic move by The Gleaner Company as a participant in the marketing industry. We believe that a seminar such as this is timely, when businesses are forced to make difficult choices regarding expenditure on necessary activities. Brand exposure continues to be critical to the business mix and so The Gleaner wants to provide advertisers with the most current and relevant media-marketing tools that gene-rate the best results for their brands."

NOTE: The one-day seminar will be held from 8:30 a.m. -1 p.m. at the Jamaica Pegasus hotel. The cost of registration is J$1,000. Registration and payment can be completed online at www.go-jamaica.com. You may also email the organisers at advtgseminar@gleanerjm.com or call them at 932-6040/6071 or 968-4880.