DDS today announced iDesk, its digital campaign management system, at the American Association of Advertising Agencies (AAAA) 2008 Media Conference & Tradeshow in Orlando. iDesk is the answer for agencies faced with the explosion of small transactions in the fast-growing digital world. Streamlining workflow by eliminating the deluge of faxes, spreadsheets and paper notes, iDesk greatly improves productivity and means agencies can effectively manage their digital campaigns.

“As the conference title indicates, digital changes everything,” says Michael Donovan, DDS chairman and CEO. “Here in the US, it now accounts for 10% of media spend. Online TV and news are proliferating, at home, in the office, and everywhere in between. And in this response-based medium, every click needs to be counted. That’s why agencies are overwhelmed, and why DDS has responded with iDesk.”

iDesk is ad server-neutral, so agencies can use it for all their campaigns. Its integration with agency financials enables quick, accurate and on-time client billing and vendor payments. Transaction tracking and security are vital components. The web-based, walk-up-and-use interface is also language- and currency-soft, making it highly scalable for agencies with business beyond the US.

Designed by Agencies, for Agencies
“The fast-changing market required accelerated product development,” says Donovan. “We were well positioned to do this, as we had already developed a new workflow-based architecture platform. We coupled this with best-practice Rapid Application Development, and incorporated extensive process research, roundtable work and prototyping with 17 client agencies. The result is an application designed by agencies for agencies, using innovative technology based on industry standards including Java.” Feedback from beta testing, currently underway in North America and Europe, is extremely positive.

Henry Lawson, DDS president, says: “The project was an ambitious one, to be the first in the industry to manage all the business processes in today's digital world. When you see iDesk for the first time, you'll be impressed by how it brings all the relevant trading data together, putting it at your fingertips in an intuitive and effective interface.” The project has achieved its scheduled beta date in January and is on track for simultaneous launch in North America and Europe in April. “Only a company with the reliability and scalability of DDS could handle this speed of development, with business continuity and corporate governance all built in. DDS is the only company providing systems for marketing communications that could have embraced the digital revolution so convincingly,” adds Lawson.

Not Stopping Here
iDesk currently handles data exchange with ad servers (placements and actuals), requests for proposal (RFP) responses, insertion orders, delivery reconciliation, and billing and paying. “We're not stopping there,” says Donovan. Multiple iDesk releases during 2008 will add further functionality, including traffic department integration, creative partner integration, plan approval, video adserving, mobile and search. Knowing how great a need there is for iDesk, DDS has committed to getting its existing clients up and running in 2008, before taking on new business in 2009.

Donovan sums up: “Digital changes everything: how we behave as consumers, how agencies work, and, as you see today, what DDS delivers to its clients.”

About DDS
DDS is the leading systems and software provider to the marketing communications industry. It offers an exceptional range of business solutions that bring operating efficiencies to media agencies and marketing services companies.

Each day DDS processes millions of transactions, supporting advertising agencies, media specialists, broadcasting sales companies, advertisers, PR firms and recruitment and direct response agencies around the world.

DDS has remained at the forefront of the advertising industry for over 40 years with its unequalled service and support, innovative technology and long-term commitment to eBusiness.