Half an hour with Cas Dreijer

To succeed in a competitive industry, you have to do things differently, says Cas Dreijer, the founder of brand activation agency Be Salt. He has ensured that the cornerstone of Be Salt – which celebrates its third anniversary on 1 July – is its people. Making a profit is not the aim of the business, he stresses; instead, it’s all about dealing with people – staff, clients and suppliers – and ensuring that they are all invested.

Dreijer points that it is the nature of the industry to ebb and flow, and while 2016 may be a challenging year, it is certainly not the first – or the last – time that the market has pulled back. He believes that it’s in this climate that agencies often produce their best work. The industry naturally becomes more competitive and gives players the opportunity to push their passions and skills to the max – something he says one can see during the pitch process.

“People are really driving themselves to think more creatively than ever before,” he says, adding that the climate is one which forces agencies to be increasingly flexible. They often start a campaign with a certain budget which is subsequently decreased. It teaches agencies to come up with ways to deal with these changes. He says industry players should make peace with the way things are and use the opportunity to hone their creative and strategic skills.

Dreijer insists human capital is the most valuable asset of any business. He aims to embed a culture of transparency and accountability in his agency while it is still small in order for it to become entrenched as Be Salt grows.

The move to social and digital channels is intensifying for clients, he believes, as broadband becomes more accessible to multiple markets and fibre connectivity is brought into the home. It means that media is consumed differently and brands need to find ways to tie in more cleverly. Another trend he says is shaping the market is that with more cars than ever on the road and people spending more time commuting – and with television taking a knock from innovations such as PVR and video-on-demand – radio and outdoor are gaining ground once again.

Brand activation continues to offer value for clients with smaller budgets and is a flexible channel that integrates well with other platforms. It allows consumers to try out the brand personally in addition to the other messaging they may receive. Dreijer says there is little to beat the power of a consumer experience – getting them behind the wheel of a car, for instance, or getting them to taste a product. Emerging markets, he maintains, don’t have the same resistance to brand engagement that is currently seen at the higher end – in fact, they enjoy it.

The big take-out: Be Salt’s Cas Dreijer says that in a tough climate, agencies are forced to think more creatively, push themselves harder and deliver better work.