The Golden Age of Advertising Agencies

The nostalgic aura of the advertising agency in the golden years was held on a pedestal much like Hollywood in the 50s and 60s. Back then the perception was that your business must be thriving because you are working with an advertising agency. Today the glamor has faded, and it comes down to an agency willing to roll up its sleeves and get down to work to improve sales.

Defining a Good Agency Fit

A good agency is defined in many ways, and it is entirely subjective. It depends on the person’s beliefs, attitudes, and perceptions of agencies, in general. Whatever you believe about advertising agencies, here are a few considerations to think about when searching for one:

1. Is being familiar with the industry we are in an important factor?
2. What are the terms of doing business (retainers, proposals, billing)?
3. How experienced are the staff in marketing communications and advertising?
4. Does it understand business management and how marketing integrates into these goals?
5. Am I looking for a project-based agency (order taker) to ease the workload for the internal team or a strategic planning agency (alliance) that also can generate work?
6. What is the size of its staff (can it handle the workload)?
7. Is the agency known for its ability to fix challenges or problems?
8. Will the agency partner with our internal team well?

The Value of Strategy

If you are looking for a strategic agency, it should bring fresh, out-of-the-box thinking with the ability to execute the idea, track it, and adapt quickly as needed. When choosing to work with an agency, you typically get a team of experts in various areas. These are extremely skilled people at what they do and are an extension of your marketing department.

Supporting Your Team, Not Replacing It

An agency should not be there to make your marketing team feel insecure. It should bolster your team and maximize their skill set to accomplish your goals. And finally, enthusiasm, motivation, and excitement from the agency team should be able to breathe new life into your internal team and be passionate about your business to serve you best. Many businesses get bogged down with…well, doing business, and don’t have resources to take on more than what they are already doing. Additionally, businesses can sometimes lose sight of the perception they are leaving with the rest of the world, and that’s where mistakes may be made.

Let’s Talk

If you are curious about the perceptions of your company, products, and services, contact us to see if we are a good fit for you. Let’s just start a conversation and answer these and any other questions you have.