• by Kate Kaye , June 10, 2004

For this week's In the Trenches subject, Jeff Landi, exploring new roads doesn't mean neglecting well-worn paths. Landi, a client development manager at cross-media research firm Dynamic Logic, maintains an expansive outlook in both his work and his personal life.

Jeff began his career journey with a finance degree under his belt. He headed East from California, taking on work in offline market research. After eight years of focusing on offline research only, Jeff decided in 2001 that it was time to traverse the Web world. At Dynamic Logic, his first and only Internet-related stop, Jeff didn't eschew the trappings of his offline media past.

It's Jeff's job to understand media integration, as well as to integrate Dynamic Logic's East coast staff of client reps and researchers. He's conducted 200 research projects on behalf of the company's 100+ agency and corporate marketer clients; that means developing surveys and implementing the back-end technology that drives them. Jeff is also charged with providing extra TLC to the Dynamic Logic's top ten East Coast and Midwest clients, including Digitas and GM.

What are your favorite online destinations in the a.m.? Why?
In the morning, none. I take advantage of the morning hours to get work done. I use the Wall Street Journal Online and read a lot of industry newsletters during the day. Usually I'll grab the Adweek and AdAge from work to read at night. I read the print versions; I like holding paper.

I'm one of those people who needs to break away from the computer. It's kind of nice for me to have the convenience of going online to get quick updates, but I get tired of it....I'm really worried that our whole generation is going to go blind!

What other sites do you visit frequently? Why?
I like to travel, so I spend a bit of time on Lonely Planet Online ... They have this funny little section called "Thorn Tree Forums." There are stories of what people did on their trips, and you can search by destination.

I also enjoy National Geographic Online and get my sports fix from CBS SportsLine.com

What is the most challenging part of your job?
Research projects are always getting more and more complex, which demands better recruitment techniques [for recruiting survey participants]. It gets increasingly challenging as we move away from pop-up invites to non-pop-up solutions. ... Pop-ups are a pretty effective tool for recruiting, but so many people now have blockers on their browsers.

What do you like best about your job; what keeps you interested?
What we do here is essentially half technology and half research. The fact that the industry changes every few months is exciting.... I enjoy being part of that process, whether it's enhancing products or doing research.

When will true media integration take place for advertisers?
I think measurement is a key first step. Marketers need to understand how things are working before they'll be able to more efficiently allocate their dollars.... We all know the Internet has an attractive audience, and it's also been proven that the Internet can work for branding. The question is, just because a certain demographic resides on the Internet, you can't assume it's going to work for you.

What considerations should be made when it comes to researching online/offline media campaigns?
We know online is good for creating awareness, but it's not necessarily as effective in moving the more persuasive measures like favor-ability or purchase intent (TV might be better for that). It's a matter of using each medium for its strength and combining them. It really is specific to each brand.

What's the most divisive online policy issue right now?
The ability for the industry as a whole to strike the right balance between proven marketing value and innovation vs. not alienating the online audience with too many ads or experiences that are too interruptive. The demise of the pop-up is an example. That vehicle and that revenue has to be replaced somehow. It's up to sites, rich media companies, and creative people to find those technologies and keep that balance there.

Do you know someone who deserves a salute from MediaPost's In the Trenches? Let us know! Contact Kate Kaye at kate@mediapost.com.