When marketers come to the Association of Canadian Advertisers (ACA) looking for guidance with an agency search, I start every discussion with the same question.
Why are you conducting this search?
On the surface, this might sound like an easy question to answer. No one would deny that rapid technological change has altered the way we engage consumers, and sparked a revolution in client-agency relationships. Many marketers are rightly wondering if their current agency arrangement will meet their needs for today and in the future.
In fact, that was the impetus for publishing our guidebook for client-marketers – Searching for a Marketing Communications Agency Partner – that provides a roadmap for the search journey, covering topics as primary as planning out project timelines, to more complex matters like the development of an evaluation scorecard and the various types of remuneration agreements.
But, prior to embarking on a costly and disruptive search process, marketers should hold internal processes and existing client-agency relationships up to the light and examine them, warts and all. Remember, it’s better to go to a marriage counsellor than to divorce court. Taking the time to understand what issues may be affecting their current relationship will go a long way to avoiding the same mistakes with their next partner.
Having done a full evaluation, including an agency performance review and internal stakeholder interviews, some find they can fix their existing client-agency relationships. And if they are still ready to move on, they can do so with a better understanding of what they’re looking for in an ideal partner.
For some, there will be times when a search is necessary – perhaps there is an agency-client conflict or maybe multiple brands are being consolidated with one shop. But marketers who just want to test the waters, or want reassurance that their agency is the “best,” are likely going down the wrong path. There are lots of great agencies in Canada. It’s not about which agency is the best, but which one is the best for them.
Ultimately, taking a hard look in the mirror is a first and crucial step in any agency search process. Without this self-reflection, organizations will never truly understand what is required to achieve their optimal client-agency relationship.
Susan Charles is VP Member Services of the Association of Canadian Advertisers (ACA) and contributor to Searching for aMarketing Communications Agency Partner – A Guidebook for Marketers on Agency Searches by Stephan Argent. Read excerpts from the book on The Right Way To Pay Your Agency and How Not To Conduct An Agency Review.
