Big Brother's viewing figures were given a massive boost this time around when the appearance of infamous media man Jonathan Durden ensured Soho would be tuning in avidly to watch his antics.
Durden, Media Week's very own erstwhile columnist, is arguably one of the industry's biggest characters, in the mould of Christine Walker, Nick Horswell and their predecessors Ray Morgan, Chris Ingram, David Reich, Alan Rich and Mike Yershon.
Now most of the above have left media for pastures new, a common lament is that "there aren't the same characters in media anymore". But is this really true? Media is known as a "people industry" and it would be hard to believe such a statement after a night spent propping up the bar at the end of any big industry event.
John Ayling, one of the first wave of real media men to rise out of the full-service split, believes that the pioneering spirit that created many of the characters of old no longer exists. "The difference is that we were establishing the whole new way of working. We were more likely to take risks, more entrepreneurial - we put our houses, lives and marriages on the line," he contends.
"We had to be more visible and controversial. The next generation doesn't have to do that because the concept is established. But it was certainly more fun - the highs were higher and the lows were lower."
But do the new swathe of media bosses agree? We asked some if they accept the idea that the big personalities have gone from the industry and ask, does it really matter anyway?
GREG GRIMMER - MANAGING DIRECTOR, ZED MEDIA
- Are there big characters in media like there used to be? Does it matter?
Yes, lots of them. The difference is they're professionals. Media still attracts intelligent, interesting extroverts, but they have to stay sober during working hours. Clients still say it's because of our people when we win a pitch. When you're working with clients in quite a dry industry, they want to work with people they find fun and energetic and witty. My Zed mantra is that we're a great company to work with.
- Is media as much fun as it used to be?
Yes, yes and yes again. The reason people work for us, rather than law firms or in the City, is we offer a fun environment doing interesting work. The last recession was in 1991. If you're 30 and working in media, you've only seen the good times. I've done 1,000 Monday mornings this year and I still look forward to getting to my desk.
- What keeps you awake at night?
We sell people to our clients, therefore attracting and retaining the best talent would be my precis. My first job was in an agency of 45 people, with a media department of seven. I'm now in an agency of 120 people, in a global holding company of 4,000. I felt I was working with those 44 other people, so keeping those 120 people feeling they choose to work for me rather than Publicis Groupe is my challenge.
- What's the best/worst thing about working in media today?
I love the variety. If variety is the spice of life, media is a vindaloo. I hate marketing directors that call a pitch just because they can and media auditors, client finance departments or even marketing departments who don't appreciate the value they are getting from agencies.
- Who is the biggest character in media today and why?
It's like asking for my favourite film - horror, comedy, action? John Fowles at PHD is cleverer than Durden, funnier than Kevin Brown and a better drinker than Peter Shea. Mark Craze at MPG - crazy by name, crazy by nature. Blake Chandlee at Yahoo! - an American making it in London. It would have been unheard of 20 years ago. There's a Hollywood film there somewhere ...
LINDA SMITH - CHIEF EXECUTIVE, STARCOM UK
- Are there big characters in media like there used to be? Does it matter?
In the early days, bosses had to be in the limelight because they were differentiating themselves from traditional full-service agencies. Thirty years on, a lot of agencies are part of corporate organisations where there are tighter parameters on what we are prepared to be open about. But it's still a people business - clients and media partners want to do business with people they respect or have fun with. We don't have to be 100% extrovert.
- Is media as much fun as it used to be?
It's changed. It still is fun. From a work perspective it's interesting and therefore fun because there's so much stuff going on. The reality is, clients and media owners and agencies are under increasing pressure to deliver better margins, accountability, top-line growth and so on, and that results in it being more businesslike.
- What keeps you awake at night?
Talent and how you retain it. People are much more demanding about what they want from their work/life balance. As an industry we have to think about the whole area of talent development, attraction and retention. Also clients - keeping them interested, doing exciting work alongside the day-to-day work they want. Delivering the numbers. And the whole digital thing - it's exciting but also challenging.
- What's the best/worst thing about working in media today?
The best thing is that no two days are the same. I genuinely enjoy working with people here. And I'm always being intellectually challenged. The worst thing is the work/life balance. I always want to do things well and it takes time. You don't want to walk out of the door if you've got people around you working.
- Who is the biggest character in media today and why?
I'm a big fan of Tess Alps. She is bubbly, enthusiastic, completely outrageous and filthy at times. She's demanding, inspiring, but will come out with outrageous facts. She's an amazing personality, not least because she's got the confidence to say what she thinks and won't be beaten down.
JED GLANVILL - CHIEF EXECUTIVE, MINDSHARE
- Are there big characters in media like there used to be? Does it matter?
Everybody respects Christine Walker - she was the first to put media on the map. But it's a different job now - we have a lot of pay masters, a lot of structures we have to work as part of. But it's very important to have personalities. We have to be seen to have a point of view. There are huge issues that need to be debated in public and that's the responsibility of people running the agencies.
- Is media as much fun as it used to be?
I don't think it is, if "fun" is defined as long lunches and jollies. There isn't the time because the industry's grown up. The good thing is it's more challenging and exciting - we're being asked big questions by our clients. We want people to have fun at work, but you can't take an afternoon off spontaneously. Overall it's a better place to be because it's more stimulating.
- What keeps you awake at night?
Making sure people know where the next opportunity is. Talent is scarce, so it's keeping them excited about the job, making sure they don't feel there's only one way of getting to the top, having a workplace that's flexible and informal with as flat a management structure as possible, flexible working, helping people invest in themselves. A lot of it is about people wanting a work/life balance.
- What's the best/worst thing about working in media today?
The best bit is being part of a company that wants to be successful and do great things for clients and get recognition. The worst is when you feel you've been badly treated by a client or lost a piece of business, not because you weren't the best, but because someone's undercut you in price.
- Who is the biggest character in media today and why?
Dominic Proctor - it's a bit sycophantic, but he's still connected to all the people that work for us and he's an inspiration. Nigel Sharrocks at Aegis - all credit to him for coming back to the industry and taking on a challenge. He had a glamorous and high-profile job at Warners, but is genuinely passionate about media, so I respect that.
GRANT MILLER - JOINT MANAGING DIRECTOR, VIZEUM
- Are there big characters in media like there used to be? Does it matter?
The business has changed a lot. There was a start-up culture that required personalities, but there's less of that now. It's a more mature industry and a lot of media companies are going concerns. They're looking for different skill sets. Personalities are still vital though - they're the key to relationships and our industry is dependent on relationships.
- Is media as much fun as it used to be?
It's less about having fun and more about creating and vision. There's less opportunity to be as sociable as before. It's difficult to justify the time to go missing. It still happens, but there's more responsibility and more is expected: looking after your people, being involved and hands-on with clients' businesses. It's more professional.
- What keeps you awake at night?
All of it. Everything! Making sure you're creating a sound environment for more than 1,000 people, making sure your clients' expectations are being met, at the same time keeping pace and working out what things are going on as far as the infrastructure of the media business is concerned. You've got to keep it simple and make it rational and effective for clients. You either love it or hate it.
- What's the best/worst thing about working in media today?
I love the people - the industry breeds phenomenally talented and interesting people. And the relationship between marketing and sales is fascinating. I hate the sheer amount and pace of it. And when someone says "you can't do that" - that's really abhorrent to media people.
- Who is the biggest character in media today and why?
Jonathan Durden. I would have said him before he went into Big Brother. He's an amazing character. He's a very entertaining man, highly intelligent and very charismatic. I would never go into the house, I'd get really bored. I hope Jonathan doesn't. I think he will find lots of things to do.
STEVE WILLIAMS - CHIEF EXECUTIVE, OMD
- Are there big characters in media like there used to be? Does it matter?
I'm not sure the industry is breeding the same sort of characters. I have a huge amount of respect for the way it was done, but the whole business dynamic has changed. I could be the biggest character in media - and the old characters were fabulous - but unless my organisation understands the need to deliver amazing work every day, the value of me being a great character is zero.
- Is media as much fun as it used to be?
It's about energy and buzz rather than "fun". That was a very old-school media world. The stakes were lower. I grew up as part of a media department in a full-service agency where fun also meant only getting 10 minutes at the end of a pitch. The stakes are too high now for us to say "it's just a laugh". But we still work hard and play hard and have fun.
- What keeps you awake at night?
Fear of failure, in any way - fear of failing our people, because of lack of care, or failure for a client or not living up to a promise or guarantee. It's a personal thing. How you take that motivation and allow it to breathe into an organisation is an interesting challenge. It's about being confident and on the offensive, not the defensive.
- What's the best/worst thing about working in media today?
I love the energy that comes out of the organisation, which I hope in some small part I'm responsible for. There's nothing like the high of finishing a new business pitch. Very little gets me down, but I hate disrespect. We don't come across it too often, but there are some moments.
- Who is the biggest character in media today and why?
I don't honestly think there are characters like that in our generation, but I don't think that's bad. Today's media world has built different people. All of us encapsulate the new breed of character. We have all got the same pressures and I'm guessing we're probably quite similar.