• by Joe Mandese  @mp_joemandese, June 6, 2024

In the spirit of media neutrality, Planning & Buying Insider had a frank conversation with long-time big agency media chief Matt Seiler to provide an outside-in look from a former holdco insider.

It's been half a dozen years since Seiler was on the inside, and a lot has changed about the org structures, culture, business propositions and models of big agency media services -- especially how it uses tech, data and how they regard their most precious inventory: the planners and buyers that are its stock-in-trade.

Seiler, who grew up at Omnicom, built what may have been the finest team ever assembled at a holdco as CEO of IPG Mediabrands, also held senior positions at Dentsu, Raines International, serves on numerous boards, and currently runs executive services at talent and executive recruiting firm Banff.

But he remains close to the agency world and shares some strong observations about the state of the business, where it is headed next, and why private equity -- not public markets -- may be key to its future.