The Digital Café relaunches in Welly

WELLINGTON, Today: The Digital Café is expanding its offering to become a full media planning and buying agency. Co-founder Antony Young said: “That will see us become the first truly independent media agency in Wellington.

“This morning The Digital Café relaunches as The Media Lab.

“Since founding The Digital Café in 2016, media veterans/co-founders Matt McNeil and Antony Young have built the company on the back of being more strategic with clients social and digital media.

“They have now decided to officially expand their business model.”

Antony Young said: “In a way, the new brand name change is about catching up with our reality.

“Last year our TV budgets matched our Facebook spend as our clients looked to us to help them scale, and the mix of briefs we are working on has shifted more to a multi-media solution.

“Our starting point is planning the unpaid media first. We put a lot of focus on leveraging social media channels before the paid activity kicks in, and then how we extend and add more depth to a plan through social engagement.”

The Media Lab will continue to offer clear, focused strategy with unmatched brand and communications experience for its clients.

Matt McNeil said: “That the move to be a full-service media planning and buying agency is a logical and timely step that meets the evolving needs of their clients.

“Our clients look to us for support to solve business issues and communication challenges through media. Offering the full suite of media platforms, including digital, out of home, television and radio, lets us use media creatively to deliver the results that are needed.

“You won’t find us shoehorning global data sets and tools into multimillon dollar campaigns but rather applying our understanding of the nuances of NZ businesses, bringing ideas to life through clever use of media.”

Over the last five years The Media Lab has been working with Te Papa, Wellington Rugby, Central Pulse, Greater Wellington Regional Council, Wellington Metlink, Wellington Water, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment, Ministry of Social Development and Water Safety NZ.

McNeil: “With our team of 15 based in Cuba Street the agency is unashamedly Wellington, and is committed to being local and connected to the heart that makes the country tick.

“With our team of 15 based in Cuba St, the agency is unashamedly Wellington, and committed to being local and connected.”

“We have strong ties to Victoria University of Wellington Te Herenga Waka through its graduate programme, work with a variety of local government agencies, and partners with local creative independents in a way other media agencies aren’t able to.

“One of The Media Lab’s points of difference is putting social at the heart of its media strategy.

“Our starting point is planning the unpaid media first. We put a lot of focus on leveraging social media channels before the paid activity kicks in, and then how we extend and add more depth to a plan through social engagement.

“We manage over 200 social media accounts. Our team is creating content every hour of every day. That gives us a strong sense of what’s fresh and relevant with consumers.”

Prior to founding the Digital Café, McNeil was MD at the OMD media agency network, while Young ran media agencies in New York, London and Asia before returning to New Zealand.

McNeil said: “While in some ways it feels like a return to our past, it is anything but. It is refreshing and exciting to operate as a true New Zealand media independent – bringing our combined experience to the table for New Zealand businesses to benefit from.”

• www.themedialab.co.nz