Comments on: Too many agencies spoil the brand

By: tiphereth

tiphereth — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 21:21:17 +0000

There us a movement here in Australia to integration, most of the ATL agencies are scrambling to “get” digital and as a consequence the creative teams have digital creatives to help them make sure the “big idea” really is translatable to all media. Digital creatives (me too!) hate the matching luggage mindset - it serves no-one to be tokenistic in the digital space, because it will be ignored.

My frustration was more around clients pitting agencies against each other rather than there being a single point of focus for a brand message. Mainly because the client manages the relationships individually rather than sitting down to a holistic round table approach. Too many times I've seen the promotions or search or DM agency take off on a tangent with the resulting executions, digital and otherwise that are cringeworthy and completely off brand.

I think we agree the issue is that the big idea has to genuinely be built to work in digital as it is the primary channel particularly if you want to engage those “born digital” now. Then secondarily, tell the 30 or 60 second story on TV, but purely to drive where they can interact with the brand - online. Which is why digital agencies are gaining more power in this environment- if they get brand and the “big idea” they have everything to gain, and can steal work away from the old school ATL agencies who live in the past and don't work online.

By: Tom Kasperski

Tom Kasperski — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 04:32:26 +0000

Idea owners = the “above the line agency” IS the status quo. And that's often the problem, particularly when the so-called “strategic agency” is being charged with producing the :30 spots and print ads. The client doesn't get a big idea that works across all media, they get a “big idea” or “story” that's ideally suited for the old marketing model of one-to-many…publication and broadcast. Clients also don't get a strategy that works across all disciplines, they get matching luggage.

The vast majority of “above the line”, “strategic” agencies simply don't get digital. They don't understand the user mindset - they think of themselves as producers of entertainment to be distributed to passive audiences, and hopefully their entertaining content will persuade or create “buzz”. This entertainment mindset fails miserably in media where users are in active control, because the content agencies typically create provides no value to the consumer.

By: mrhames

mrhames — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 04:02:27 +0000

I've sat in the room when a client invites all agency partners to solve the digital conundrum. BTW, I agree with the notion that the 'above the line' agencies are better at the execution. They care about the tone, the voice, etc.

But I disagree about the 'big idea'. I think the client that tries a lot of little ideas will do better in this world. I'm not saying that the big idea is dead, I just think the process is due for an update.

By: tiphereth

tiphereth — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 22:12:55 +0000

Yes its great having a collaborative environment, where it goes off track is when clients tend to pit one agency against another. And in fact its ideal working with specialists, but easier to manage and wrangle when its handled through a single point of contact, from a project management perspective.

By: Tobe

Tobe — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 00:53:56 +0000

If the idea is strong enough, the strategy is iron clad and the client is a believer, many can work on a campaign, just like they do in one agency.

By: Aisea Laungaue

Aisea Laungaue — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 03:23:47 +0000

I completely agree - the agency that is seen to own the strategy and trusted to recommend the best creative execution should be the agency in the lead. I find its often specialist agencies with overzealous suits/planners who will fight their way to the top table with clients. Yes, this is a necessary evil in a competitive industry, but the onus should be on clients to learn to TRUST one key group of agency people (they can either be from one agency or they can be a steering comittee across the key agencies) to manage their business goals and how this should affect their comms strategy and budget.

Anything less and the client gets exactly what they deserve: several agencies with several agendas that will end up costing them more in the long-run.