The Drum dials up the solutions: introducing our new editorial sections and team changes

Moving forward The Drum’s editorial sections will comprise:

• Noteworthy

Quickfire briefings covering industry developments our readers need to know to stay in the loop each day. We’re looking for company earnings, consumer studies, mergers and acquisitions, exclusive research and any other news marketers cannot afford to miss.

Who to pitch: editorial@thedrum.com

• Modern Marketing

Exclusive interviews with major and breakthrough brands delving into their strategy and how they’re navigating the challenges and opportunities of marketing today. We’re looking to speak to marketers and other senior brand-side figures challenging the status quo, entering new markets, blowing their competitors out of the water, reimagining their approach or launching something unmissable.

Who to pitch:

(UK) Rebecca Stewart, trends editor rebecca.stewart@thedrum.com

(US) Ken Hein, US editor Kenneth.hein@thedrum.com

(APAC) Charlotte McEleny, APAC editor charlotte.mceleny@thedrum.com

• Future of Media

Exclusive interviews with media owners and platforms, as well as features on trends in media that will impact marketing. We’re looking to speak to high-profile media brands about their commercial strategy and hear from media buyers about what’s happening at the intersection of marketing and media. The best stories will feature on our dedicated Future of Media newsletter, published each Thursday.

Who to pitch:

(UK) John McCarthy, senior reporter john.mccarthy@thedrum.com

(APAC) Shawn Lim, reporter shawn.lim@thedrum.com

• Opinion

Our opinion section is open to thinkers, doers, creators and innovators who can offer forward-thinking solutions to industry problems. We’re looking for confident original takes that can make our readers look at an industry issue in a different way or leave them with tons of practical advice to apply to their own business. Self-promotion is strictly outlawed.

Who to pitch: opinion@thedrum.com, but please note we get a high volume of submissions and may not be able to reply to all.

• The Big Read

Deep dives on the most important industry issues, along with fun lean-back reads offering distraction and creative inspiration. We don’t take pitches for this section, but ideas are inspired by what we see trending in the industry and coming into our inboxes day-to-day.

• Creative Works

The home of the world’s best new creative work. To allow us to comprehensively cover all the new work that’s breaking, we invite you to upload it yourself to our Creative Works platform. The hottest submissions will be featured on our daily newsletters and our weekly dedicated Creative Works newsletter to provide our readers with a regular source of creative inspiration.

Upload your work directly to our Creative Works platform

• Today’s Office

The world of work is changing fast and working from home is becoming the norm for many of us as offices remain largely out of bounds. But what about those not working from the office, and not satisfied with their spare room either? We want to hear from industry characters around the world who are adapting to working remotely in a range of weird and wonderful locations.

Who to pitch: Thomas O’Neill, managing editor thomas@thedrum.com

• The Making Of…

A behind-the-scenes look at a recent campaign that’s captured the imagination. We want to hear from the creative directors, art directors, copywriters and filmmakers who made the work, uncovering their initial storyboards and finding out how inspiration struck.

Who to pitch: Imogen Watson, reporter imogen.watson@thedrum.com

• Problem Solved

We pose a problem; you present the solution. Each month, we ask our readers how they’d solve the most pressing problems facing the industry at that time. The sharpest responses are published in our magazine and online.

We don’t take pitches for this section, but you can register your interest in being involved by contacting Sam Bradley, assistant editor sam.bradley@thedrum.com

• How Does it Work?

This section aims to demystify the complex, cluttered world of martech. We’re looking for those who can explain exactly how to make use of new products and services in the martech marketplace in order to uncover new and innovative solutions available to marketers.

Who to pitch: Kenneth Hein, US editor kenneth.hein@thedrum.com

• Water Cooler Creative

You may not be anywhere near the office water cooler right now, but we still want to spotlight the most talked about developments from the brands that should be on your radar. When a campaign blows up – for good or bad – we’ll cover it to keep our readers informed of what’s getting the public talking in advertising and marketing.

We don’t take pitches for this section, but we’ll be keeping a close eye on social feeds to spot the work that’s trending.

• 3 Actionable Insights With...

We ask an industry leader to offer three practical examples for moving forward during this tricky time. We’re looking for industry legends, big characters and experienced heads to share their wisdom with our readers. This is reserved for those who’ve been there and done that.

Who to pitch: Kenneth Hein, US editor kenneth.hein@thedrum.com

Along with our editorial sections, thedrum.com is also home to the self-publishing platform Open Mic. As editor of your very own public profile, you can have complete control of your content and a profile which connects with our worldwide audience of over 1 million professionals each month. Find out more on the Open Mic hub.

Fulfilling our promise as a solutions source was the motivation for bringing in new talent including Michael Holt, who joined us this month after previously working for major media brands NBC Universal, Guardian Media Group and the Radio Advertising Bureau. A vastly experienced partnerships and brand activations specialist, he spent almost 10 years at TV giant Discovery, working with the likes of Coca-Cola, Carlsberg and eBay in his role as partnerships director. We are excited to have him on board.

As these changes take hold, we are also wishing farewell to one of the editors who has helped build The Drum. Stephen Lepitak is moving on. It’s hard to believe it’s been 14 years since Stephen joined us as a reporter from Glasgow’s West End Mail. I can say Stephen has been a big part of all that we have done here and wish him only the best on his new adventure.

Additionally, Sonoo Singh, who has been associate editor of The Drum for three years, will be moving on to a new endeavor. Sonoo has been instrumental in building The Drum Studios into the success it is today. I thank her for all the hard work and expertise she brought to the team.

With that, stay tuned for more exciting changes at The Drum and more solutions for our readers.

Gordon Young, founder and editor-in-chief, The Drum