Media businesses compete to become global ‘Hot Company of the Year’
AB In-Bev and Jaguar join judges of
world's only media business innovation prize
The Media Accelerator Programme (M.A.P.) is launched today
which, for the second year running, will invite emerging media and
technology companies from around the world to compete for the title
of 'Hot Company of the Year'. Created in partnership between
US advisory firm MediaLink and UK media business C Squared, M.A.P.
is the only global competition of its kind. The programme will seek
out the cutting-edge businesses set to re-shape the future of the
media industry.
By connecting entering companies with The Festival of Media,
M.A.P. provides the opportunity to be assessed by a leading
international panel of experienced VCs and marketers. Judges this
year include Chris Burggraeve (President of WFA and CMO of
AB-InBev), Ian Armstrong (global communications director, Jaguar),
Jeff Bussgang (Flybridge Capital Partners) and Alain Heureux (chief
executive of IAB Europe).
Entering companies must be capitalised but still at an early
stage of development and have a powerful proposition that
challenges established practices in the media industry and could
move the sector forward. As 39% of the gathered Festival audience
is of managing director or C-suite level, representing
approximately half of all global advertising expenditure (c$250
billion), shortlisted M.A.P. entrants will have the chance to take
both their business, and the media sector as a whole, to the next
level.
Alongside free tickets to the main Festival, entering companies
will also benefit from structured onsite networking session with
attending advertisers, media owners and agencies.
Last year, shortlisted companies included the now world-renowned
ShareThis, which was eventually pipped at the post by innovative TV
audience tracker Simulmedia. "We were honoured to be selected as
the inaugural M.A.P. award winner. However, having the opportunity
to participate in the M.A.P. competition with so many innovative
companies, was the bigger victory," comments John Piccone, SVP of
sales, Simulmedia.
Michael Kassan, chief executive of MediaLink, comments: "M.A.P.
is a major step forward in the creation of a global mechanism to
bring great ideas to advertisers. It is a systematic way to provide
a 'liquidity of innovation' in the media markets. We encourage all
progressive young businesses to take part in this scheme."
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For full entry criteria, please visit www.festivalofmedia.com/global/map
For further press information on M.A.P. or The Festival of
Media, please contact Elizabeth Jones or Jessie Winston at WITH PR
on + 44 20 7249 7769 or firstname.surname@withpr.co.uk
Full judges list:
Ian Armstrong, Global Comms Director, Jaguar
Rothin Bhattacharyya, CEO, HCL Security
Chris Burggraeve, CMO, AB-InBev; president WFA
Jeff Bussgang, General Partner, Flybridge Capital Partners
Bernhard Glock, president & CEO, Media Leadership Company
LLC
Alain Heureux, CEO, IAB Europe
Ryan Jamberotz, Co-founder, Videology
Stephen Messer, Founder, Collective(i) and LinkShare; Chairman
CAA
Wenda Millard, President and COO, MediaLink LLC
Roger Parry, Chairman, MSQ Partners
John Piccone, SVP Sales, Simulmedia
Ed Zimmerman, Partner, Lowenstein Sandler