The armchair odyssey begins! - 04/2001

As Marketing and Internet Manager for Options Employment part of my role is to analyse our target market and select media accordingly. Now, more than ever, there are myriad exciting choices some tried and tested, others still to be proven. With this in mind, we have decided to dip our toes in the water of digital television. Whilst on conventional media, we know what the temperature will be with this new option, we don't. That's part of the attraction because the ripples could spread far and wide!

On first hearing about this new media, my heart gave a leap. You can order a pizza, go shopping and even look for a job by postcode all from the comfort of your armchair.

The penetration into households is clearly there - everyone has television, and with up to 7 million people with access to digital, this is clearly the future. You only have to consider the recent launch of Channel 4's new channel E4. Why else would they launch the new series of ER, Ally McBeal, Friends and Trigger Happy TV on this digital channel? Let's face it searching for your next job can be stressful. This way, you can make the browsing easy and all from your own environment, in your own time 24 hours a day or night.

Sure, that's the theory. But interestingly, the political agenda from the government is also endorsing and supporting this new digital movement. It is human nature to find the easiest route from A to B. Digital TV is direct, fast and very E -now !

Of course, the proof of the pudding is in the eating. So whilst everything sounds very tasty, we are looking forward to digesting real viewer figures and gauging its success. Right here, right now I don't know the answer so as it stands, options is taking a risk albeit a calculated one.

I know that it should work well the facts stack up, and the published figures indicate that it should be undoubtedly a success. So let's see.

For me, the acid test will be when the extra candidates we are looking for start ringing us up, and our consultants make extra placements. If this happens, we continue with our investment in the campaign over the coming months. One thing's for sure. At Options, we need to be proactive about our media choice. The future is very exciting. MMTV is clearly at the front of this digital media charge. We want to be there but, ultimately, we have to justify the results.

So there you have it. 2001. Another odyssey begins for Options. Watch this space!