How challengers can make the most of their underdog advantage - with David Meikle and Richard Temple

Is being underestimated a competitive advantage? A new book for the marketing industry argues that underdog brands and agencies have a lot of tricks up their sleeve – if they know how to use them. Richard Temple is the CEO of independent media agency JAA Media. David Meikle is a business consultant and author who has worked in leadership roles at Grey Advertising and Ogilvy. His earlier books include How to Buy a Gorilla and Tuning Up. The duo are releasing a new book this November called The Underdog Advantage, which argues in favour of all the little guys out there and provides tips on how to punch up. The topic is especially timely as The Media Leader gets set to host the Challenger Stage at this year’s Future of Media London event this week. The stage aims to host discussion and impart advice for independent agencies and their often smaller, challenger brand clientele. Host Jack Benjamin caught up with Temple and Meikle in October to discuss the book and the challenges and advantages of being a challenger in our industry. Highlights: 4:10: How JAA embraced being an underdog agency 11:55: Why marketers should be less risk averse to get more for less 17:11: Overcoming the performance marketing "addiction" to Meta and Google 24:24: Strategies and tactics for brands to take advantage of their Underdog Advantage 36:58: Everything is media Related articles: TML and AMI to deliver Challenger Stage at The Future of Media London How to approach media as a challenger brand in the FMCG space The rise of indie cool