Working with Agencies
Choices, Choices
Going a la carte
Agencies exist to do the things their clients can't or choose not to do themselves. In house marketing functions have been looking hard at both of these points driven by pressures of cost, speed and control.
Agencies have responded by offering much more choice and flexibility meaning that the days of full fat, one size fits all processes are well and truly over. The blend of agencies and the way they interface with the client and each other should be carefully tailored to the needs of each brief.
The What, How and Why of it
Client / Agency relationships are harmonious when both sides have a common view of what the agency is really there to do, how it must go about delivering that and why it bothers (including but not limted to remuneration). This much has always been true.
The scope for what is possible across these key questions is the thing that constantly changes, what could this look like? From there we can be clear on should and finally make sure that the reality of working together is matching up.
Shifting client and agency roles
To make the best of the dynamism and flexibility of today's landscape much of the inherited assumptions around 'good' client and agency behaviours should be revisited. A crucial aspect is the need for client leads to be brilliant conductors, in the middle driving and harmonising the ensemble of in-house and external specilaisms.
