R&F Series: Overlooked risks to better efficiency in client-agency relationships (CMOs, Marketing Leadership)
It is unfortunate to hear about the ongoing erosion of trust between clients and their agencies. A recent survey from the Association of National Advertisers (ANA) concluded that only 29% of member marketers ranked the current level of trust between client-side marketers and agencies as 'high.’
At the same time, conducting a new agency search and selection takes time, requires internal energy, and carries significant risk. Of course, there are times – if the work is painfully sub-par, or the agency can't deliver on the required scope of work – when a pitch may be necessary. But, switching up an agency partnership might not always be the right option to solve existing issues around trust, particularly during uncertain economic times.
A high-performing client-agency partnership is a powerful competitive advantage in today's marketplace, and the secret sauce to delivering amazing, kick-ass creative is trust.
For a renewed focus on strengthening the existing relationship with your agency, here are a few attainable tips that Reynolds & Fyshe has shared with our clients over the years:
Clearly articulate what you want, when you need it, and why it's important.
It starts with a strong brief. A brief is a comprehensive source of information to solve a problem. A great brief is also a living document with limitations and invitations that should be discussed and questioned. It is instrumental in helping an agency team imagine connections which have yet to be made to get noticed or to change behaviour.
Get excited (…again) about the Joy of Creativity.
With a solid game plan in hand, let the agency deliver on what they do best. That said, don't sit idle while they work away. Ensure you and the team build creative vocabularies by following trade and awards pubs. Try grabbing a coffee with your team to discuss the work you like ("I wish we did that" is a healthy motivator all around); don't be afraid to schedule time directly with the creatives to hear out their process and what truly gets them excited.
Be honest and open with your feedback.
Is the work strategically sound? How does it make you feel? Will consumers think differently about the brand? Is it clear and simple? Does it surprise you unsuspectingly? Make sure your feedback is not only honest and rooted in the brief but also actionable - and if the work is early in the process, focus on the core of the idea rather than execution.
Demand transparency.
Your agency should practice transparency at all workflow stages - the financial process included. Everything should be above board, straightforward and provided in as much detail as you require. No exceptions.
A little respect goes a long way.
Define how you regard agency empowerment. This could be the most important element of a healthy relationship. If you and your team constantly tell the agency what to do, the agency will become dispirited and lose its appetite for initiative. Great agency partners bring a natural objectivity to the challenge, and their independent point-of-view is critical to building ideas that will break through and resonate.
Learn to Forgive
To land on something constructive, one factor that sets client leaders apart is the ability to forgive and let feelings of anger, resentment and blame fall away. People within agencies who don't make mistakes really don't do anything: they put energy into covering their backs and avoid anything new or innovative. You want good news fast and bad news faster, and forgiveness offers your agency partner the chance to take those risks.
It's a fine balance between facts and feelings.
A strong partnership is a fine balance between facts and feelings. Simply put, it’s not healthy to suggest that ‘emotions and business don't mix’ in context of a productive creative agency partnership. Even though marketing leaders today are inundated with mountains of data through internal and external reporting, to realize creative success, it is paramount that you cut through the quantitative and qualitative complexity and employ empathy and understanding.
Getting the best from your agency requires a substantial level of Client-Agency collaboration. Still, you and your client-side team have an outsized influence on the outcome. The best clients succeed when they help the agency succeed.
Reynolds & Fyshe has seen firsthand the benefits of human-centred skills while promoting transparency and bolstering an organization’s trust in its agency partners. If you are looking to embrace this approach to strengthen and reinforce long-term agency-client relationships, Reynolds & Fyshe is here to help.
Reynolds & Fyshe has consulted with numerous top-tier Canadian brands on value delivery, contract compliance and oversight processes impacting client-agency relationships. We provide a wide range of advisory, marketing management and client-agency operations support services backed by extensive in-market experience. Contacts us for a discovery consultation.