Hector Pantazopoulos is the Vice President and Co-Founder of SourceKnowledge. As a private video network, SourceKnowledge serves video, rich media and standard display ad units on a network of high quality U.S and Canadian sites. SourceKnowledge maintains direct relationships with publishers allowing advertisers access to a curated selection of sites and provides quality and scale in a brand-safe environment.
Below is an interview with him about social and digital media in Afghanistan, Central and South Asia.
Film Annex: Please tell us about yourself and your background.
Hector Pantazopoulos: I’m Hector Pantazopoulos and I’m the VP and Co-Founder of SourceKnowledge.
FA: Please tell us about SourceKnowledge and the philosophy behind it.
HP: SourceKnowledge is a private video network. We help advertisers reach and engage their audience through video advertising using pre-rolls, sliders and custom ad units. We’re advertising enthusiasts and passionate about digital video advertising.
FA: What is your opinion of Women's Annex and its operation in Afghanistan, Central and South Asia?
HP: It’s a great way to empower women with productive and artistic tools. These regions represent the future growth of the Internet audience so in this sense, Women’s Annex’s operation is a great way to unite individual initiatives.
FA: What is the role of social media in your business? How much do you use it and how?
HP: Social media is a way for us to keep track on trends in video advertising, on agency news and to track potential leads. We also use it to connect to our clients and publishers to let them know what we are up to.
FA: Can Digital Marketing influence a digital, cultural revolution? If yes, how so?
HP: Digital tools can enhance social groups to be better and more quickly informed. We know that social media was widely used by Egyptians and Tunisians to communicate their opinions during the Arab Spring.
FA: Where do you see the future of developing countries like Afghanistan? Do you think Digital Marketing and social media can help improve their economy and education system?
HP: There is a big push in the US and Canada and other developed countries to push for training, education as well as entrepreneurship ventures in what is deemed to be “the new economy”. If our politicians are pushing this agenda as the way to grow our economies, it only makes sense that all countries will be participating in this reality. Digital marketing companies and Internet companies that develop software can provide jobs that are relevant and this will in turn push the education system to train students for these types of “new economy jobs”.
