OMD Sets Up 'The Newsroom' Insights and Ideas Team

In the UK, media agency OMD has set up a real-time insights and ideas team it is calling The Newsroom. To do so, it is partnering with Buzzfeed, The Guardian, Global Radio, Outbrain, Google and Facebook.

Led by Head of Innovation Toby Gunton (pictured), the new initiative will aim to identify what is capturing consumers' attention in real-time, and convert this information into culturally-relevant ideas for its clients. To support the team, OMD has hired Sarah Gale as Head of Insight, from Ipsos MediaCT where she previously served as Head of Insight; and former Channel 4 Viewer Insight Manager Julian Flavin as Head of Data Science.

In addition, the agency has formed a multi-discipline 'creative hub' called OMD Create, and a cross-media planning and optimization team called XMP. The launches are part of the agency's restructure, designed to generate new client ideas 'based on what is happening in peoples' lives' - in line with OMD's wider 'Staying Culturally Connected' business initiative.

Dan Clays, MD of OMD UK, comments: 'Our new structure and services will better enable integration across the diverse communications landscape, help us tap into real-time culture and get to bigger and better ideas for our clients. We are elevating the importance of data and creativity in media planning, ensuring we are set up to drive the highest levels of planning rigour and invention.'

Web site: www.omd.com .