New Study Reveals What A Client Wants In An Agency
A recent article, written by Andrew McMains for ADWEEK.com, summarizes the results of an on-line survey (conducted by Reardon Smith Whittaker) of 184 client marketing and brand executives, including AT&T, Dunkin' Brands, Merck, Met Life and Revlon. Clients said having an understanding of their marketplace was the most important criteria for selecting an agency. "Given the challenges clients are facing in light of the economy, they need agencies that can get up to speed quickly, add smart value-added thinking, and are a trustworthy lot." said Mark Sneider, managing director at Reardon.
Makes sense to me. I have been in the advertising business for quite a while. For many years, our firm practiced as "generalists," which meant that we worked with clients from basically every walk of life. It was interesting. We got the chance to step inside many different industries to see what made them tick. We spent a lot of time researching various markets, and performing due diligence in crafting client's strategic plans. We learned a lot about many different businesses and flexed our creative muscles to position them in the marketplace. Then something happened. I liken it to standing at the bottom of a mountain, looking up to see an avalanche teetering on the brink of tumbling down. That something was a technological revolution that would change the face of marketing communications (among many disciplines) forever.
Over the last few years, the speed with which digital media has become an integral part of the marketing mix is astounding. It wasn't so long ago that we hadn't even heard of YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, PPC or SEO, let alone how they, and a growing number of other platforms (something new every day), would affect how clients market to their customers. The influx of new advertising vehicles meant more options to evaluate for each client. Many of the new media options, especially Web 2.0, are very individualized in nature, the goal being to start a conversation, find out what customers want, and deliver it. It's not talking at them, it's talking with them. It requires a different strategy, and every industry has a different paradigm.
With these new factors coming into play, plus navigating a challenging economy, it's no wonder that marketing executives look to agencies who have a thorough understanding of their marketplace, keep up with industry trends, and are on top of best practices. It is added value that "generalists" just cannot bring to the table.
