Evergreen Trading

Cross-organizational value return is easier than you think.

Trade-enabled media investment aligns a company’s leadership to deliver above-market pricing for surplus assets while increasing marketing ROI.

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There is a misperception that asset sales are the end game. They are not. Their role is to provide capital for our media investment strategies.

We work collaboratively with our clients to identify the right assets to convert. These assets could be anything from excess inventory to real estate, capital equipment or even surplus gift cards.

Once identified, we are able to offer our clients full value for these assets and discuss and agree where they can and cannot be sold.

We will try to sell your assets for the highest possible price—staying clear of your current retail and online customers so that the transaction causes no disruptions in the marketplace.

This means not only are you able to recover significant value against these assets, but you can also be assured it will not undermine ongoing business efforts.

Frequently Asked Questions.

Here are some questions people have asked us over the years. If you have others, get in touch. Whether you choose to partner with us or just want some clarification, we’re happy to help.

Is trade-enabled media investment right for me?

Any company, regardless of industry, that allocates a portion of their marketing spend to consumer advertising should consider trade-enabled media investment strategies. While most of these companies are medium to large in size, any business that spends more than $5MM on consumer advertising is a good candidate.

What kinds of things can be traded?

There are few things that can’t be traded. We’ve traded everything from excess inventory and retail store displays to whole manufacturing facilities and jet aircraft. Soft assets such as unwanted sponsorships, ad time, reward points and gift cards can also be used.

In return for these assets, clients receive television, radio, print, digital and place-based/Out-of-Home media. Regardless of the asset traded, clients can recover up to the full cost or book value in media dollars spent against their media plan.

When should my company consider deploying a trade-enabled media investment strategy?

Trade-enabled media is a smart option for companies looking to positively impact their bottom line, eliminate unwanted assets or fund additional marketing investment. Companies often look to media investment when faced with surplus or excess inventory, other corporate asset problems and/or shrinking media and marketing budgets.

How do I get internal buy-in?

Media trade typically involves collaboration between senior stakeholders across the Marketing, Procurement and Finance teams. It is essential that all these stakeholders understand the benefits, process implications and KPIs that will impact their respective teams as well as the company as a whole.

Because programs that use media trade always deliver a financial benefit, the buy-in process often begins with Finance. Marketing is also instrumental and should be included once the primary objective of the program is determined. Finally, Procurement should be brought in to ensure the use of proper evaluation and onboarding processes.

How can I measure the success of a trade-enabled media investment?

There are two questions that should be considered when confirming the positive and incremental value of a trade-enabled media investment program. First, did you receive the incremental financial value you expected? Second, was there a positive, negative or neutral impact operationally?

If you implement a program that uses trade to gain a higher financial return on an asset, success is measured by the price paid to you for the asset, plus the proper execution of the media buys at your historic and planned media rates. The media buys must also adhere to all other media buying requirements (such as network mix, daypart distribution, gross rating point levels, etc.). Some clients hire third-party media audit firms to ensure that the media value and media process meet 100% of the expected standards.

If the objective of the program is not asset related but rather focused on gaining greater media efficiencies or incremental marketing reach, success is measured by the media budget savings or the verified incremental increase in media value for the same budget. The verification of media value is the same as mentioned above and the use of a third-party audit firm may be appropriate.

The operational impact of a program that uses media trade is measured by how well the program integrates with your current asset management and media buying processes. The media trade firm should absorb much of the asset management workload and media buying hours that otherwise would have to be performed by client personnel or your current media agency.

How do I know my products will be sold responsibly?

We’ll start by discussing the nature of your inventory and where it can and can’t be sold. We’ll then work to sell your product for the highest possible price—staying clear of your current retail and online customers. Working collaboratively, we create a distribution plan that moves the inventory in a nondisruptive manner—taking the form of a list of agreed account or market restrictions where the inventory cannot be sold. The distribution plan is contractually agreed upon and may contain assurances stipulating that the buyer will sell it direct and not wholesale, or that packaging or tags will be altered to eliminate references to the manufacturer in order to avoid product returns.

Drop us a line.

We’ve helped some of the world’s top brands get more value out of their media buys and we can do the same for you. Ready to work with us? Still unsure? We’d love to hear from you.

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