Also in this report:

– Columbus offers more than just technology p.19

– Digital Renaissance a ‘reality broker’ p.19

– e-Commerce: strong foundations p.20

– ICE takes counter-culture approach p.24

– Intellia archetypal success story p.25

– Leo Burnett Interactive puts emphasis on brands p.26

– Mackerel swims up creative stream p.27

– McGill: autos to Intranets p.28

– Quadravision puts focus on finance p.28

It sounds like such a simple exercise: pick Canada’s top interactive marketing agencies. Simple, that is, until you actually try to do it.

Consider this: the use of so-called new media such as cd-rom and the World Wide Web by marketers is still in its infancy. By what standard, exactly, does one judge agencies working in a field that, for all intents and purposes, didn’t exist a few years ago?

For the record, Strategy has taken into account more than just the ability to design cool Web sites. Instead, we have spotlighted agencies that clearly understand how interactive media can serve the strategic communications needs of clients, and that offer depth of expertise on both the technical and creative sides. We have looked for those that possess a solid track record, and that focus on well-defined areas of strength, rather than attempting to be all things to all clients.

Is our list comprehensive? We think so. But then, this landscape is changing so rapidly that last month’s unknown commodity may well be next month’s rising star. And as some, such as Digital Renaissance’s Michael Shostak, have pointed out to us, the interactive field is almost certainly due for some rationalization, with many of the smaller players likely to merge or be swallowed up by bigger fish. In other words, don’t expect to see all of the same companies on this list in 1998.

Strategy’s picks of the top interactive agencies appear on pages 19-28.

Planet Genesis, Toronto

Branching into interactive communications hasn’t been much of a leap for Genesis Media. Expertise in traditional media is the company’s stock-in-trade, after all. New media is just the next logical step.

In fact, the establishment of its Planet Genesis division in August 1995 simply formalized something the media-buying firm was already doing for clients: namely, creating interactive material and World Wide Web sites.

John Clark, director of client services, says Planet Genesis builds and maintains sites for clients, and offers a full range of consulting services on the use of the Internet as a communications tool.

Some of the shop’s major projects to date include the Web site for eye, a Toronto entertainment weekly, as well as the Craven A Today’s Country music site and the Bauer ‘Leave an Impression’ Hockey Trivia Game, which resides on tsn’s Web site.

In addition, Planet Genesis has created the Canadian advertising industry site, AdCan, and sites for two industry groups: Magazines Canada and the Canadian Outdoor Measurement Bureau.

Clark says the Web is an essential piece of the interactive marketing puzzle, along with interactive voice response and call centres.

‘The Internet is the ultimate direct marketing tool,’ he contends. ‘You can put up an offer, solicit feedback, measure the responses, fine-tune your offer and react to competitive strategies in an instant.

‘You can ask consumers who they are and what they want. You can execute a transaction, or extend an invitation to take action, all in an automated way.’

Many of the sites created by Planet Genesis include a registration component that helps clients build a database of potential customers.

Since its formation, Planet Genesis has also spun off an Internet sales and measurement unit called Clickthrough, to complement its other services.

Clickthrough acts as sales representative for more than 14,000 Web sites, and is the Canadian representative for NetCount LLC Web measurement services.

Planet Genesis currently has six full-time employees, and Clark is looking to add more in-house staff as well as expand the pool of contract staff. He also plans to establish ongoing working relationships with a number of technology partners.