I attended an interesting discussion at the New York outpost of the American Marketing Association this week. The stated topic was “Choosing the Right Agency” with the understanding that the event would help people understand things like
- What qualities to look for in selecting a new agency
- How to figure out what type of agency you need
This type of material was definitely covered in an informative way but my hunches were rewarded in that a considerable part of the discussion actually focused on the general state of today’s fluid/dynamic agency environment.
What is an agency anyway?
While many participants at the event seemed to have had long, storied careers at “conventional” advertising agencies, there was general consensus that many of today’s most effective marketers are employing a group of specialized agencies to engage customers via all kinds of different channels… print, outdoor, direct, web site, search, social, tv, pr, events, etc. And let’s not forget overall strategy and branding.
On top of that, in today’s landscape, there’s often significant overlap in the competencies shared by the agencies that are either (a) competing for the same client business or (b) tasked with effectively executing in conjunction with a set of multiple agency partners selected by the client.
This riddle/reality was effectively summed up by a presenter named Brian Martin, Founder of Source Martin- a consulting firm. I'll paraphrase the precepts he shared:
1. Clients are looking for exceptional creative ideas
2. Clients are looking for agencies that can work effectively in partnership with other agencies
3. Clients are looking for campaigns and approaches that can be backed up with metrics that prove success
If you can illustrate or provide all of these things, not only will you have a seat at the table, but your agency will actually win client business.
