I recently attended a luncheon hosted by a local advertising
federation encouraging clients, agency and media hybrids to sit down and
listen/ discuss the appropriate relationship for agencies and clients. The
panel of agency and client marketing experts proved to be both lively,
reaffirming and to my surprise quite startling.
With a B.A. in Journalism some may assume and heck I may
agree that I am no expert in the area. However; this luncheon reviled that
unlike perhaps many off my millennium cohorts I have quite a traditional
expectation of the client/ agent relationship.
Where does one draw the line between what an agency does and
what a client does? Does there even need to be a line?
The ad agency is there to solve problems for its clients. The
client is there to present the agency with its problems, and when it needs
solutions. The types of problems and solutions vary greatly depending upon the
client’s business and the ad agency’s area of expertise.
According to a recent Ad Age article, an agency performance
evaluation provides a specific forum to address bigger relationship concerns,
especially the ones that weren't dealt with in the moment. Typically conducted
by either procurement or an external consultant, a biannual or annual
assessment isn't about the performance of work -- for example, how much traffic
an ad drove to the site. It's not about blame or simply pointing out negatives.
It's about assessing the relationship and processes, and determining what needs
to be fixed and who's going to fix it. And this type of evaluation can be
tailored to all agency types -- from AOR to multicultural to media.
However; if the client-agency relationship is less stable,
and more concerns arise than solutions an evaluation may not be the correct way
to address the situation. An agency performance evaluation is not a tool for
irreparably damaged, broken client-agency relationships. An annual assessment enables clients and agencies to get
out in front of significant relationship issues before they become
unsolvable.
I sincerely encourage all those seeking to enter the world of marketing, advertising or any variation of the fields to comment their opinion. This is an important conversation, and that outcome can determine much of the ad world as we know it. Can in house advertising become the model?
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteIf organizations and clients don't have a good relationship with their customers, an outside agency can only highlight problems - not fix them. This article shows how rapport and good customer service is key for growth.
ReplyDeleteI love the picture that states what " agencies wish they could say to their clients ". A mutual respect must be there when working with each other , otherwise the other won't be heard and what is the point of the relationship. Spot on. Clients must realize that they are working with agencies for one reason or another and give them credit when it is due. Good agencies know how to deliver the facts without such a "blow" , giving cold hard facts but clients must be willing to accept their findings and change.
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed this post, gave me some food for thought. There are fewer companies using agencies on a daily basis. Clients are on a crazy time schedule and have to plan quarterly, while agencies value the creative and extra time both are forced to answer to the same customer demands, however the buck stops with the client so its up to them to execute.
ReplyDeleteOutside of Iran this term might be divided into branding, advertising, PR or media solutions and have words such as digital or events added, but Iran, for multiple reasons is different.
ReplyDeleteMarketing in Iran