There has been a lot written in AdNews about agency-client relationships of late, indicating to me that there seems to be something missing from the partnership. We have learned there is a significant difference between client and agency harmony in New Zealand versus Australia.
There has been conjecture about the merits and fairness of the pitch process. Creative directors have pleaded the case for the heavy load they carry with modern-day clients who have more demands and less time to see results.
The AANA are currently in field with a survey on remuneration models which is likely to fuel clients to put further pressure on agency margins (if that’s possible) and I read with interest that one regular opinion column client has told the agency to get stuffed and will go it alone; commando, I think was the cry, and do their own creative! Well, good luck to any client who wants to go it alone, because I reckon they are taking a monumental risk, with almost guaranteed failure to follow.
Now those agency folk that I have worked with over the years have all suffered the odd black eye and hurt feelings when I made a strong counter view clear but never could I have imagined not surrounding myself with strong agency talent.
Every client wants to be presented with great ideas, every client wants an agency that understands their brand, and every client wants that service to feel like it’s value for money. I always wanted something more.
I wanted “warriors”. So who are these warriors?
These are men and women with great experience in the disciplines of advertising and marketing. Warriors who stopped at nothing in the pursuit of improving the brand value of their client.
These agency warriors often knew more about my brand than my marketing team. They knew what my competitors were doing – right and wrong – and were able to provide compelling ideas to combat them.
These warriors stalked the marketplace for opportunities, and regularly squeezed that extra benefit from the media and extended ideas beyond the 30-second TV spot. They regularly were able to cross the invisible line and develop alliances with editorial departments, which traditionally were taboo for advertisers, and extend the positive coverage for my brand.
These warriors didn’t have to wait for a written brief, they were thinking ahead on how they could add value and help my company “sell stuff”.
They were instinctive marketing and ad specialists that made it their business to know your customer base even without the modern research available to clients today.
With these warriors on the case, my days were not filled with discussions on how to reduce the remuneration model, or if I should pitch the business or even to fill in client/ agency survey forms so each of us could understand how the relationship was going. I knew how it was going – bloody gangbusters!
Prior to my years at Toyota, I remember with great admiration such a warrior: Trevor Fearnley of AdPartners, servicing my account at the Sharp Corporation. Trevor almost single-handedly built the Sharp brand in Australia. Trevor, of course, is now well known in the Australian ad industry for his service to the industry and his remarkable contribution to a variety of charities. There have been others along the journey whose contribution made my marketing efforts successful and my brands household names.
So are those warriors still out there somewhere? If you believe you have them, then send an email to AdNews and reveal them.
If you’re a client whose agency has them, think seriously about increasing your fees and rewards to keep them motivated and focused on your business. It will be the most valuable investment you can make in fostering your brand.
Peter Webster is former divisional GM of Toyota Australia
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