Modern Media

The science of marketing is at the heart of Modern Media Inc., a marketing communications firm in Halifax with a specialty in interactive media.

“A lot of marketers focus entirely on creativity,” says Modern Media president Jamie Davison, who founded the firm in 2006. “We think creativity plays a very important role to engage customers, get them interested, create that allure, but it’s got to be backed by science and return on investment. And there are few marketers who are focused on both.”

For Modern Media, the science of marketing includes well-defined strategy and measurement. One of the tools the firm uses is its proprietary product Sift Marketing Intelligence, which helps to evaluate media effectiveness across all media, online and offline.

Depending on the strategy, Modern Media will draw upon a blend of traditional and online media to communicate. The firm’s services include strategy development, social media marketing, search engine marketing, graphic design, web development and marketing intelligence and analysis.

Innovation is front and centre at Modern Media. “Marketing and communications have changed significantly and we’re helping to facilitate that change by coming up with products and processes that make it more effective for our clients,” Davison says. “We internally talk about ideas from a research and development perspective constantly and we look at new platforms.”

One of Modern Media’s newest offerings is a viral commerce platform which, as Davison explains, allows clients to promote, track and incent consumers to spread the message about their product through social channels.

Davison says resourcefulness comes into play as the firm’s roughly 14 employees are charged with contributing ideas for improving Modern Media’s offerings and building the business. The firm’s continued growth was a focus over the past year.

“If 2006 was about starting the company and getting some legs under it and 2007/2008 was about really growing business in the local marketplace and starting to get out into the export marketplace, 2009/2010 is really more about growing beyond these borders in a significant way,” says Modern Media’s VP operations Michael Perry.

Two immediate targets for expansion are Central Canada and the New England states, but the future could include growth into other areas in North America and in Europe. “The beauty of what we do is that we can do it from here and work with almost anybody, anywhere,” Davison says.

Modern Media’s clients represent a wide range of sectors including entertainment, financial, consumer goods and tourism and hospitality. In addition to direct client relationships, the firm provides interactive and metric services to agencies.

Susan Oland is manager of strategic brand development for Empire Theatres, the country’s second largest theatre exhibition company. Modern Media is Empire’s interactive agency working on projects such as web architecture, interactive promotions, database management and social marketing.

Oland speaks highly of the firm’s “knowledge of the whole interactive culture and world,” and Modern Media’s team. “They keep us on strategy and monitor our results so we can make informed decisions quickly,” she says. “They are very responsive and insightful, and they’re just a great group of smart people.”

Davison also has praise for Modern Media’s employees who bring together their expertise in development, design, account management, sales and operations to deliver solutions to their clients. “We’ve got a really strong group,” he says. “They all specialize within their specific areas and together we can deliver really great solutions.”

Fun and hard work both play a part in Modern Media’s culture which “is really about pushing the envelope,” Davison says. “It’s looking for the best way to do things for our clients.”

Client success is a key measure by which Modern Media evaluates its own success. Davison says other criteria include Modern Media’s brand in the marketplace, profitability, providing a fun place to work, and having clients enjoy working with the firm.

As Modern Media grows into other marketplaces, Davison is happy to be based in Nova Scotia.

“This is probably one of the best places to live in the world,” he says. “In some of my previous jobs I’ve had the privilege of traveling almost all over the world and I’ve seen other opportunities and had other opportunities to move in the past, but I have a high affinity for the quality of life here and the region.”

He explains, “I think it’s such a great place to live for a whole variety of reasons – the people, the attitude, the region itself, the access to almost every single outdoors or natural resource that you could ever want to take advantage of. It’s great from a downtime perspective, from a recreation perspective.”

Perry adds, “It’s a really nice environment to raise a family, too. I think you’d be hard pressed to find a better environment than this.”

From a work perspective, Modern Media and its employees will continue to be immersed in a rapidly changing multimedia environment, as reflected in the firm’s name.

“Modern is an ever-evolving state,” Davison says. “And so if we’re Modern Media today, we’re going to still be Modern Media in 12 months, but the landscape’s going to have changed and we’re going to be at the forefront of the best way to communicate with people based on the current landscape.”