New analysis of chief marketers’ Attitudes on Agencies released at 4A’s Transformation 2010 Conference
In January 2010, Ad-ology Research conducted a survey of chief marketing professionals to study their attitudes about the outsides agencies they employ and to forecast their marketing and advertising plans for 2010.
Among the survey questions asked, “If you could offer one piece of advice to advertising/marketing agencies in general, what would it be” Here are some of the responses from among 327 chief marketing professionals:
- Try to become more knowledgeable about the product category than your client.
- Talk less and listen more.
- Do a better job with the upfront strategic messaging part.
- Act as a partner, not only a provider.
- Know our markets.
- Know our industry and be willing to offer suggestions not previously considered.
- Social media knowledge is a must.
- Simply respond in a timely and professional manner.
- Do not add too many layers between the client and the creative folks.
- Be good to your employees – there is way too much turnover.
- Make sure you have the required expertise in the industry that you are selling to.
- Talk in plain language and not technical jargon.
- Hire people based on their passion and work, not just based on the education they have, creativity cannot be taught.
- Be excited and treat each opportunity with a fresh look.
- Come work for the company you are representing for a week to get a feel for our values and goals.
- Concentrate more on ROI.
- Get Creative! Partner with us – don’t position yourself as the “parent” and we’re the “child.”
- Over communicate.
- Be nice.
Other key findings:
- 19% of companies with marketing budgets less than $1 million say they do not use social media, 34% say the same for online video.
- Companies with marketing budgets more than $1 million are more likely to have mandates to improve customer insight and retention.
- Fifty percent of those surveyed plan increased marketing budgets in 2010 versus 2009, with social media, online advertising and online video expected to see the greatest spending increases.
- After cost, marketers tend to choose agencies based on creative capability and quality of previous work.
“There are three deadly account service sins for advertising agencies: Inadequate communication, relying on the clients for industry insights and not listening,” said C. Lee Smith, president and CEO of Ad-ology Research.
Additional articles that may be of interest:
- Ad Agencies in “The Great Race” for New Business
- Report Paints a Painful View of Ad Agencies
- Clear and Present Danger of Social Media for Ad Agencies
