Launching a publication in the middle of a global pandemic was never going to be easy, yet Haymarket saw opportunity in the fast-growing digital marketing sector and tasked Calum Di Lieto with launching Performance Marketing World (PMW).

Calum shares the inspiration for PMW, balancing the launch with his work on Conference & Incentive Travel and how freelancers can get involved…  

Tell us a bit about what sparked the idea for Performance Marketing World…

Haymarket recognised that the performance marketing industry is rapidly growing and is estimated to be worth approximately hundreds of billions of dollars – a number that will only increase going forward. And so, given the industry is increasing so rapidly it felt right to launch a brand that would cater to this growing community.

Will teams working across different Haymarket outlets also be contributing to PMW, and how?

All Haymarket titles have an element of content sharing and work collaboratively with each other – something I am personally an advocate of – however, this will only be a small proportion of our overall output. PMW has its own dedicated team, so that we can truly embed ourselves in the industry and deliver true expertise editorially and commercially. 

How are you finding balancing your work on Conference & Incentive Travel (C&IT) with the launch of PMW so far?

I’m very fortunate to have an incredible team on C&IT that have taken the majority of my workload off of me. However, I am still working in the events and travel industry and have been hosting digital events quite regularly for that market, as I’m keen to keep my fingers on the pulse. 

Will you be working with freelance journalists for PMW at all, and if so, what kind of pitches would you be interested in?
YES! I am very keen to work with as many freelancers as possible at the moment as we are still in the process of recruiting and building our permanent team. Pitches I am open to, as long as they are relevant and interesting to our audience of performance marketers.

How has your own work in the media industry been impacted during the pandemic?

I’m used to being out and about across the globe at industry events, talking to anyone and everyone and keeping abreast of every little thing. But the pandemic has siloed us all and made it a lot harder for casual, ad-hoc information to spread.

How did you originally get into journalism?

I studied journalism at university and used my days off to intern at local magazines. One of which was a start-up in Hertfordshire that was run by a man called Deji Osobukola – a really inspiring entrepreneurial powerhouse who was a dear friend of mine too. The opportunities he gave me right at the beginning of my career certainly became the springboard for everything I have done since. 

Would you still recommend journalism as a career choice in 2021?
I think the pandemic has only emphasised the importance of journalism as a career choice. How content is consumed will forever evolve, but the very art of relaying stories – be it news or features, hard-hitting facts or entertaining reads – will always be needed and respected. What’s more, journalism as a profession gives you access to places and experiences that you could never imagine, regardless of the publication.

You can find Calum Di Lieto tweeting @calumdilieto and more about his work in journalism at Calumdilieto.com.

More information on Performance Marketing World can be found on the website.