...Led by former New York Times executive Gabriel Dorosz, the initiative aims to simplify digital advertising for media leaders and unlock sustainable growth strategies.
By Bunmi Yekini
The International News Media Association (INMA) Board of Directors has approved a new Advertising Initiative designed to equip media leaders with actionable strategies to navigate the complex world of digital advertising, with a sharp focus on first-party data activation, ad product innovation, and revenue diversification.
Spearheading the initiative is Gabriel Dorosz, a former executive strategy director at The New York Times, bringing deep expertise from leadership roles at WPP, FCB, and other global firms.
“We want to simplify and demystify what is often opaque or overly complex about the digital advertising ecosystem for media leaders,” said Earl J. Wilkinson, executive director and CEO of INMA. “We want to bridge the gap between the cutting-edge possibility and business realities.”
In a presentation to the board, Dorosz outlined key focus areas, including activating first-party data for advertising revenue, innovating advertising formats across video, audio, and print-to-digital channels, and diversifying sales through branded content, events, and programmatic offerings.
“The future of advertising in media isn’t about choosing between digital or legacy, it’s about merging creativity, data, and market realities to craft high-performing revenue strategies,” said Dorosz. “We must tailor our messaging to different buyer motivations and strike the right balance between direct and programmatic sales.”
To support this vision, the initiative will provide INMA members with hands-on resources, including implementation guides, case studies, newsletters, master classes, webinars, and an exclusive Slack channel.
Board members emphasized the urgency of evolving from reach-based advertising metrics to engagement-driven models, prioritizing metrics like brand lift, incrementality, and attention.
They also highlighted the importance of creativity and experimentation in revenue models, pointing to native advertising, content commerce, and events as untapped growth areas.
“We need a mindset shift in the industry, from chasing clicks to cultivating loyal audiences. Direct traffic is far more valuable than social or search, and our measurement must reflect that,” noted one board member.
Dorosz reminded the board that digital advertising now commands more than 75% of global ad spend, underscoring the need for news organisations to embrace innovation and adapt fast.
The Advertising Initiative joins INMA’s five other strategic programs: Readers First, Digital Platform, Product & Tech, Newsroom Transformation, and Generative AI Initiatives.