Mediabrands Australia launches sweeping process automation program

Mediabrands Australia has launched a program to automate repetitive internal tasks at its agencies Initiative and UM, using robotic technology. This automation works across the buy/book/pay aspect of media agencies and Mediabrands’ project leader Geoff Clarke claimed it is the only one in existence in the industry.  

Recent data extracted across several of the Mediabrands automated solutions (BOTs) since launch suggest the network has saved over 3,300 hours, automating nearly 13,000 tasks that were previously manually completed. The program is on track to deliver more than 25,000 saved hours across the next 12 months.

Mediabrands partnered with software company UI Path, and information and technology services company, Cognizant for this project. 

“The uncomfortable truth is the media industry has not changed the way it works for more than two decades," contended Mediabrands CEO Mark Coad. "(This) transformation unburdens our people of the time-consuming and tedious tasks of day-to-day operations and frees them up to do intelligent, creative work that drives growth.”

He added that automating these tasks would also help reduce turnover at the network by freeing up talent to focus on innovation. "Staff turnover remains a key on-going problem across the industry," he added. “If you are working for a media agency still riddled with repetitive menial tasks like loadings, TV campaign tracking and post analysis, etc. – then you are putting your career development into slow motion, and not using the bright mind you were recruited for."