Get To Know: Digital strategy expert, Pathman Ruthirapathy

Tell us about your journey getting into television and advertising? 
‘I’ve always been interested in consumer behaviour and brands’ roles in people’s lives. I started off as a planner before moving my focus into digital and what the future looks like, which marries my passion for technology, innovation, and consumer behaviour. ITV is the perfect vehicle for exploring those passions, as viewing and consumer behaviour continue to evolve alongside technology.’

When a brand is working with a TV broadcaster, what three tips would you offer? 
‘1. Be clear on what marketing objective TV is delivering against. 
2. There is more to offer than a simple TV ad; product placement, licensing and brand partnerships/ sponsorships can all be opportunities to meet your objectives. 
3. TV has the perception of being expensive. This is not always the case and ITV AdVentures exists for this reason. Work with TV stations to understand their suite of offerings and push them on how you can measure the effectiveness of campaigns to help determine whether TV is right for you.’

You’re introducing ITV AdVentures to Soho Works members in April, where brands can hear about how they can get involved with ITV. What can they look forward to hearing about? 
‘AdVentures is an incubator for startups and scale-ups. Members will hear about how it offers a multitude of services to direct clients, including guidance on planning, strategy, and creative. We also offer scale-up brands the opportunity to trade equity for media value.’

As a founding member of the Soho Works app, what’s been your biggest highlight of being part of the community so far? 
‘The connections I’ve made, the vibe, and environment. And, most importantly, the opportunity to learn from others.’

What do you think the future of media advertising is? 
‘It’s constantly evolving, so it’s difficult to answer that. If pushed, it’s about delivering the exact right message at the exact right time on a platform that’s most important to the consumer/ customer using content and messaging that adds value to their everyday.’

What’s your favourite Soho Works?
‘White City.’