Comments on: Seven Tips For Agency Survival

By: infonote

infonote — Fri, 23 Mar 2007 21:28:40 +0000

I think your post can be summarized in “adapt of die”.

By: Mandy Vavrinak

Mandy Vavrinak — Thu, 08 Mar 2007 17:05:29 +0000

Alain,
Have to admit to recognizing my own small agency in some of your points. Happily, I also recognize us in some of your suggestions, too, so all is not lost.
Our biggest challenge is not marketing without “advertising for the sake of advertising,” it’s motivating our people — highly creative, talented people who’ve exprienced substantial success from traditional methodolgy — to embrace new thinking and new media in more than a superficial way.
Frankly, it’s been a struggle for me, too. I have begun to devote a slice of my day, every day, to reading, tracking, surfing and generally absorbing as much of the newer marketing channels as I can. As the sea change occurs in marketing, as those hard ROI questions become the norm, we have to examine our contribution as an industry… Shouldn’t a collection of creative professionals be the champions for change and innovation in our field? That is our goal… to first become what we are proposing for our clients.

By: Alain Thys

Alain Thys — Wed, 07 Mar 2007 06:41:35 +0000

Alexander,
Very well spotted as Andersen’s story was exactly what I had in the back of my head as a key theme when writing this post.
Happy to hear you guys are already taking the lead in what it’s really all about.
A.

By: Alexander S. Prisant

Alexander S. Prisant — Wed, 07 Mar 2007 02:33:14 +0000

Alain’s post is reminiscent of the little boy in the fairy tale who notes “the Emperior isnt wearing any clothes.” Soon after Saatchi launched’, it created an ad for Fiat in the UK so motivating that I actually know someone who went out and got a drivers license to buy a Fiat. That was almost 30 years ago–a full generation since advertising moved anybody to do anything.
Re Lewis’comment, Prism Ltd. does a lot of marketing consulting and we rarely propose conventional advertising, because it represents a poor–very poor–ROI.
Today, you can forget everything else. Marketing has moved on. Advertising is not nearly what it used to be and is not the tool for the times. Period.
A S Prisant, Chief Operating Officer, Prism lotd.

By: David Reich

David Reich — Mon, 05 Mar 2007 18:37:56 +0000

I agree, Lewis. I hadn’t responded to that part of Alain’s post, but one could wonder why agencies don’t advertise more.
I think it’s partly because it’s costly, and only larger agencies could really afford a campaign that used effective weight. Also, as Lewis said, agencies aren’t marketing to consumers, so costly ads at airports or on CNN — even though they may be seen by potential clients — are going largely to waste. Even more waste than that 50% we talk about.

By: Alain Thys

Alain Thys — Mon, 05 Mar 2007 15:38:14 +0000

ROFL, Thanks for the kind words David … Though I’m still wondering if that realisation makes me feel better or worse

By: Lewis Green

Lewis Green — Mon, 05 Mar 2007 15:37:19 +0000

Alain,
Before commenting, I wanted to give this some thought, as what I am about to say is controversial.
What I see between agencies/firms and clients is a lack of focus on the goals of advertising. Why should we recommend advertising, what are the measurable goals, and what can we expect for results (measurable)? Because of the nature of advertising, I counsel my clients that, except for brand reasons (i.e., keeping your name in front of customers), most businesses should not advertise. If you sell consumer products, are launching a new consumer product campaign or are offering a great discount or reward, then advertise and measure success, which is easily done.
Now that I have pissed off everyone in advertising, let me go one step further.
Everyone of us marketing consultants know that our greatest margins exists in selling advertising. Is that why nearly every firm seems to make advertising a part of every marketing plan? I ask: Do we exist to make money first or to help clients foremost? If we answer the latter, we won’t sell lots of advertising to easily sold clients who think advertising is what marketing does.

By: David Reich

David Reich — Mon, 05 Mar 2007 13:33:04 +0000

Alain, good post and I hope lots of agency heads read it. Each of your suggestions could/should be a post in itself.
Don’t berate yourself, though, for having wasted 9 figures’ worth of client money. If you subscribe to the old maxim that half of all ad dollars (or Euros) go to waste, then you’ve really only wasted 8 figures’ worth. That’s not so bad.