Yoram Bowman is a guest on Miren Karbon's podcast./Miran Karbon.
Yoram Bowman is a key figure in the world of Israeli advertising, with an impressive career spanning many decades.
As the co-founder and CEO of one of the leading advertising agencies in Israel, Bauman Bar Rivnai, he is at the forefront of the industry and is involved in many campaigns that have become iron sheep assets in Israeli popular culture.
But beyond the visible successes, the world of advertising is full of secrets, intrigues and power struggles hidden from view. In an interview In a special with Miren Karbon on the "Ear Catcher" podcast, Bowman agreed to provide a rare and authentic look behind the scenes of the advertising industry.
Miren Karbon is the owner of Creative First, a company that works to promote creative excellence through an independent creative and strategy agency, the largest advertising and marketing community in Israel, lectures and workshops on creativity, innovation and storytelling and the Israeli creative competition Granot.
Throughout the interview, Bowman shares insightful insights into the business model of advertising agencies, the complex relationships with CEOs and clients, and the place of women in an industry that has been dominated for many years by men.
He also lifts the curtain on the connection between the world of advertising and Israeli politics, and shares his personal experiences from working with key figures such as Benjamin Netanyahu, Ehud Barak and Yair Lapid.
Whether you are part of the marketing and advertising industry, or just interested in the less visible side of this world, the interview with Yoram Bauman offers instructive insights.
This is a rare opportunity to peek behind the curtain and better understand the forces driving this dynamic and influential industry.
The business model of advertising agencies
In recent years, the world of advertising has been going through dramatic changes, mainly due to the rise of digital media and social networks.
According to Bauman, these changes undermine the traditional business model of advertising agencies, which was largely based on commissions from media and huge budgets from clients.
"In the age of Facebook and Google, the commission and super-commission model that we were used to has broken," Bauman explains.
"Today, clients can buy media directly, and there are many more sources of information available. This leads to an erosion of revenue for advertising agencies."
But while incomes are falling, the amount of work is actually increasing.
"Now there is more work because it has to be done digitally, socially, and over time," says Bowman.
"So on the one hand the money decreases, but on the other hand the work increases. How do small offices last? Kill me, I don't understand."
Faced with this complex reality, Bowman promotes an approach of complete transparency with customers.
"I believe in transparency, unlike most of my colleagues. Who don't want them to know how much they earn. If a client doesn't want you to make money, then you should go get it to Kebinimet and not be your client.
However, Bowman admits that transparency is not always easy to implement. "A lot of clients just say ' Tell me how much it costs, and I'll judge it against what others are offering.'
So it's not easy, but I still believe that this is the right way forward."
In the end, Bowman predicts that advertising agencies that do not adapt to the new reality and the demand for transparency will have a very difficult time in the long term. The transition to the digital age requires a rethinking of traditional business models, and the adoption of new approaches of Cooperation and reciprocity with advertisers.
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Competition against high-tech and changes in the world of work
In addition to the challenges mentioned, Bowman points to several other trends that affect the world of advertising in Israel in recent years.
One of them is the growing competition with the high-tech industry for young and talented talents.
"Google and Facebook take the best people to them because they can pay more. The advertising agencies are limited in what they can pay in most cases, so a lot of the good people go to high-tech, but still remain crazy to talk."
Another trend is the transition to working from home, which has accelerated significantly following the corona epidemic: "Working from home? I don't believe in this way. It's something new, maybe I'm a little old and therefore I don't believe in it, but it's a standard you have to deal with. Eventually it comes At the expense of this industry, at the expense of the results of this industry, at the expense of the idea, creativity and at the expense of the business results as well."
Bowman expresses some concern about the decline in the quality of advertising products in the fast digital age.
"When everything is done at breakneck speed and on limited budgets, sometimes the quality suffers," he says.
"We need to find the right balance between speed and agility and professionalism and thorough work. It's not an easy challenge, but it's necessary to maintain the level and relevance of our industry."
Bauman's words indicate that the world of advertising is going through a real upheaval, and it is required to adapt to a reality that is changing at a dizzying pace.
The ability to overcome these challenges will largely determine the image of the industry in the future, and the extent of its success in maintaining its position as a leading and influential industry in the Israeli economy.
Personal connections in the industry
One of the fascinating topics that came up in the interview is the complex and sometimes intimate relationships between the heads of advertising agencies and the CEOs and owners of the advertising companies. According to Bauman, in many cases, choosing an advertising agency relies on personal relationships as much as on professional considerations.
"There is always the question - "How much does it matter that Yoram Bauman sits with the CEO of Coca-Cola, or that Moses Teumim knows the owner of the cell phone company," says Bauman.
"It is difficult to give exact percentages here, but it is clear that personal relationships often have a great influence on decisions."
However, Bowman emphasizes that personal connections are not always decisive.
"There are places where the work is evaluated on a purely professional basis, and there are committees that score and decide in an orderly manner," he explains.
"But even in such situations, it cannot be ignored that everyone knows everyone in this industry."
Bowman also points out that sometimes, the personal connections balance each other out.
"Perhaps CEO A knows Yoram Bowman well, but the chairman or marketing director knows Chomsky," he says with a smile.
"In the end it's a bit off, because everyone pulls in a different direction."
Beyond the personal connections, Bowman emphasizes the importance of free competition in the advertising industry.
"Unlike other fields, there is real competition in advertising in Israel," he says.
"There are no cartels or monopolies here. In the end, an office that provides insufficient service will lose clients, personal relationships or not."
It is evident that in Bauman's opinion, despite the complexity of relationships in the industry, the key lies in combining professionalism and integrity and cultivating long-term relationships.
Only such a delicate balance can ensure long-term success in an industry saturated with competition and challenges.
Yoram Bowman and politics
One of the most interesting and lesser known aspects of Yoram Bauman's career is his involvement in Israeli politics.
Over the years, Bowman was involved in the campaigns of several major parties and politicians, and was closely exposed to the world of political content.
"I started with Roni Milo, who was the chairman of the Likud at the time, and then with Yitzhak Modai of the independent liberals," Bowman recalled. "But the really significant work was with Bibi (Benyamin Netanyahu), with Barak, and at a later stage with Yair Lapid."
Bowman He says that working with Netanyahu was challenging but satisfying. "Bibi is a true perfectionist, and he expected us to be available 24/7," he says. "But he is also one of the smartest and most charismatic people I have met.
He always knew exactly what he wanted to convey and how."
On the other hand, working with Ehud Barak, according to Bauman, was different. "With Barak it was much more subdued and quiet.
He was very thoughtful and balanced in everything he said and did."
But perhaps the most interesting project from Bauman's point of view was the campaign of Yair Lapid and the Yesh Atid party. "It was a tremendous challenge, because we started from scratch, literally from nothing," he recalled. "We built a movement Shlomo, a platform, a strategy, in a very short time, and we managed to bring them to the second largest place in the Knesset.
It was enormously satisfying."
Bowman says that despite the differences between the politicians and the parties, the world of political advertising is conducted quite similarly to the commercial one. "In the end, you are selling a product, only instead of a product it is an ideology or a candidate," he says. "But the same principles of Building a brand, conveying effective messages and creating an emotional connection - they are just as valid."
Over the years, Bowman says he has learned to separate his professional work from his personal political preferences. "I didn't necessarily vote for everyone I campaigned for," he admits. "But when Taking on a project, I give it my all, regardless of what I think privately."
Bauman's story demonstrates the close connection between the world of advertising, media and politics in Israel. This is another fascinating and complex side of the multifaceted career of one of Israel's most influential advertising figures.
Women in the world of advertising
Another essential issue that came up in the interview is the place of women in the world of Israeli advertising.
Bowman, who has closely experienced the changes in the industry over the years, says that despite some progress, there are still significant challenges in the field.
"When I started in the industry, women were very rare in senior positions," he recalls.
"Today the situation is better, but it's still not enough. We have talented female CEOs like Imi Iron or Shelly Shamir Kenan, but they are still a minority."
Bowman claims that part of the problem lies in the "closed club" culture of the advertising world in the past. "It was difficult for women Lathberg, because a lot of business and relationships were forged outside the office - in restaurants, on the golf courses, and in places that were quite 'masculine' in nature."
However, Bauman is optimistic about the future. "I think that the more competitive, digital and decentralized the industry becomes, the more room there will be for talented women to stand out and advance," he says. "Because in the end, what matters is talent and results, not gender."
Personally, Bowman says that he learned a lot from the women he worked with throughout his career. "I have to admit that some of the best managers I knew were women," he says. "They are often more empathetic, attentive, and less egotistical than men in similar positions."
However, Bowman is aware that, despite the progress, there is still a long way to go. "The industry should continue to encourage women to take key positions, support their advancement, and create an equal and inclusive work environment, " he says. "This is not only a moral obligation, but also a business necessity in today's changing world."
Bauman's words reflect the growing recognition in the advertising industry of the need for diversity and gender equality.
With the new generation of leading women in advertising, and with entrenched perceptions changing, there are reasons for optimism.
But as Bauman emphasizes, the fight for equality is not over yet, and the road to the full assimilation of these values is still long.
A look back at the career
Towards the end of the interview, Bowman was asked to reflect on his long and varied professional journey, and to share what he sees as the most significant milestones in his career.
"To be honest, I got into the world of advertising a bit by accident," he says.
"My father was the owner of an advertising agency, so I found myself there almost without noticing. But I quickly discovered that this was exactly the place for me."
Bowman describes the beginning of his career in his father's office, which was then called 'Doctor Jacobson Publishing'.
"It was just another old advertising agency of the old kind," he recalls with a smile.
"But there I learned the basics of the profession, and developed my love for it."
Over the years, Bowman was involved in quite a few mythological campaigns that were etched in the Israeli consciousness, but he points to the founding of Publicis Group as a major turning point in his career.
"Building Publicis was the realization of a vision for me," he says.
"I wanted to create a strong group, with an international presence, that would specialize in quality and creative advertising. This was a very significant milestone for me."
When asked about his definition of success, Bowman ponders for a moment.
"This group does good work, it behaves according to ethical codes that match my own ethical codes: no pigs, no ostentatiousness, there is modesty, and the ambition is for good work and long-term relationships and to build a group that is financially successful and manages to do good work that influences and changes things. Besides which should also be enjoyed. In the end, we came to enjoy."
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Benjamin Netanyahu
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Bowman Bar Rivnai