SWIPING LEFT ON AGENCY TINDER
Enjoyed reading Damien’s piece about the way ‘advertising agencies’ all seem to pitch in a similar way. How frustrating must that have been for a busy client, who was just looking for a team to solve his problem.
It’s always fun to take a pop at agencies. It’s easy sport. But the thing we don’t talk about so often is how frustrating it might be to spend valuable time dancing in such a beauty parade, only to be judged on face value.
The ‘businessman’ was disappointed to hear five different teams say, “We listen to our clients and take a strategic approach”. It’s odd that he was disappointed. Because surely that’s what you want your agency to do. It’s certainly what we would say – and it’s definitely what we do. Because that’s how agencies add value.
Good agencies don’t spit out answers. They help solve problems. Often by digging under the hood to redefine what the problem actually is. And how do they go about it? “We listen to our clients and take a strategic approach.”
The ‘businessman’ in Damien’s story, was just playing agency Tinder. Trotting around town swiping left and judging people for their profile pics. Sure, it’s a way to find a date, but it’s not the best way to start a relationship.
And that’s sad. Because the best work in the market comes from the best relationships. Both sides working together to make each other better and increase the commercial value of a business or brand. And it takes time to build those relationships and unlock the synergy that informs great strategy.
And great strategy matters. Whatever the day-to-day tools and tactics of the marketing do, it’s the marketing think that creates commercial value. And every good agency, and every good client, understands that.
Let’s be honest, you can always find agencies who don’t quite measure up. But let’s be honest you can always find clients who don’t either. And we can have a whine and write a column and poke fun at it. Or we can look at ourselves and ask what I could do better?
This year’s been tough. Next year may not be much better. So let’s not forget all the talk about teams of five million and strength in togetherness. Because, every time a winner, the businesses who thrive will be the ones who work with their partners in partnership.
That’s what I reckon, what do you think?