Mediaplus UK Hires Anna Palmer to Lead a New Comms Planning Division
Updated: 6 days ago
Mediaplus UK has appointed Anna Palmer as Head of Comms Planning & Strategy to lead a newly created division in London — part of the independent media agency's continued expansion following its rebrand.
The Appointment
Mediaplus UK has named Anna Palmer as Head of Comms Planning & Strategy, tasked with building out a newly created division within the agency's London operation. The hire is part of Mediaplus's ongoing growth push in the UK market following its rebrand.
Part of the wider House of Communication group, Mediaplus positions itself as an independent alternative to the holding-company networks — and senior strategy hires are how independents signal they can compete at the top of the market.
Why It Matters
Comms planning — deciding what to say, where and in what order across channels — is the connective tissue between strategy and media buying. Creating a dedicated division for it, led by a senior hire, is a bet that clients increasingly want that thinking as a distinct capability, not an afterthought.
It also reflects a broader theme in UK media: as automation absorbs more of the buying, agencies are competing harder on strategic planning, the part of the job that is hardest to commoditise.
Marketing Minute's Take
This is a small story with a big signal. Independents win by out-thinking the networks, and building a named comms-planning division is exactly the kind of strategic muscle that justifies a client leaving a holding company.
As media buying becomes more automated, the differentiator moves upstream to planning and strategy. Agencies that invest there are protecting the part of their value that AI can't easily replicate.
What Businesses Should Do
When choosing an agency, weigh the quality of its strategic planning as heavily as its buying rates. The buying is increasingly automated; the thinking is where the advantage — and the waste — actually lives.
In-house teams should apply the same logic: invest in the discipline of deciding what to say and where, not just in the tools that place the ads.
Quick FAQ
Who is Anna Palmer?
Anna Palmer has been appointed Head of Comms Planning & Strategy at Mediaplus UK, where she will lead a newly created division in London.
Why is the hire significant?
It signals independent agency Mediaplus's continued UK expansion and a broader industry shift toward competing on strategic planning as media buying becomes more automated.
What is Mediaplus?
Mediaplus is an independent media agency, part of the House of Communication group, positioning itself as an alternative to holding-company networks.
As buying gets automated, the real agency value moves upstream to planning and strategy — the thinking machines can't easily copy. Mediaplus building a dedicated comms-planning division is a smart, defensive bet, and a reminder to judge agencies on brains, not just rate cards. — Daniel Nikolla, Founder of Merx Marketing
When the buying is automated, the thinking is the differentiator — invest there, and judge agencies there too.
Are you paying your agency for smart planning, or just for cheap placement?
If you would like to know more about this topic, please contact us on danieln@merxmarketing.co.uk
Sources: Campaign and Roastbrief.
Related reading
Written by Daniel Nikolla, Founder of Merx Marketing Ltd and Marketing Minute
