To GroupM N.A. CEO Kirk McDonald, everything's a Rubik's cube waiting to be solved

To Kirk McDonald’s mind, flipping his body of sales-side knowledge to apply to the buying side of the business was exactly what was needed to run a media agency network.

September 01, 2021

How did a guy known throughout the industry as being exceedingly nice become the North American CEO of GroupM, the media agency network owned by agency holding company WPP? On Kirk McDonald — who has been in the role for a year — Adam Gerhart, global CEO of Mindshare has this to say: "Although he might not have been the usual suspect for an agency role, the skillset and perspective he has was absolutely applicable. It's provided a different vantage point than someone who's grown up or only worked in an agency their whole life." Read a profile of McDonald's leadership below. To Kirk McDonald's mind, flipping his body of sales-side knowledge to apply to the buying side of the business was exactly what was needed to run a media agency network. BruMate joins other DTC brands tapping SMS marketing as a saturated digital marketplace and iOS14 privacy crackdown leaves advertisers scrambling for options. The Digiday+ Future of TV Briefing this week looks at the companies that are aiming to revamp the traditional TV ad format for streaming. Private browsing has the potential to radically reduce the number of consumers marketers can target with digital advertising. Workers in media are more likely to have permission to work from home permanently than they are to be expected to come into an office five days per week, according to new Digiday+ research. Other things to know about User privacy protections and contextual advertising's comeback are comprising ad quality assurances. This report highlights how publishers are solving new ad quality challenges. Sponsored by GeoEdge. As music videos on TV turn 40, marketers have learned a lot from the format about context, mood and nuance. Sponsored by Vevo. For advertisers, AI solutions are key to navigating a changing environment where 85% are drowning in data yet struggling to use it in privacy-friendly ways. Sponsored by IBM. Top Stories Evolving Agencies To GroupM N.A. CEO Kirk McDonald, everything's a Rubik's cube waiting to be solved To Kirk McDonald’s mind, flipping his body of sales-side knowledge to apply to the buying side of the business was exactly what was needed to run a media agency network. howdy! Marketing on Platforms 'The audience potential is huge': Why DTC drink ware brand BruMate is taking a second look at SMS marketing BruMate joins other DTC brands tapping SMS marketing as a saturated digital marketplace and iOS14 privacy crackdown leaves advertisers scrambling for options. Sponsored by Vericast How advertisers are using relevance to win in the age of consumer privacy In the age of consumer privacy, brands are changing the way they advertise, by finding strong partners, diversifying their tactics, building on first-party data and not underestimating the power of creativity. Advertisement howdy! Business of TV Future of TV Briefing: How companies are working to move beyond the traditional TV ad format The Future of TV Briefing this week looks at the companies that are aiming to revamp the traditional TV ad format for streaming. howdy! Privacy This fall, tech companies will try to push private browsing into the mainstream Private browsing has the potential to radically reduce the number of consumers marketers can target with digital advertising. All Latest Stories Equality and Opportunity LinkedIn's Imani Dunbar is helping to build more equitable workplaces across industries As head of equity strategy at LinkedIn, Dunbar is charged with improving equity inside and outside the Microsoft-owned business-centric social network.