Optimizing Agency Relations

The best advertising is created when client and agency teams mutually respect each other, they utilize their collective intelligence and they regularly collaborate. This course outlines why attaining this level of partnership is difficult.  And why the major reasons for agency shifts or terminations still hinge on several critical factors; a new CMO is put in place, the agency team is seemingly uninterested or disengaged in their client's business or business strategy and the creative product no longer seems closely aligned.

While your agencies can be your greatest marketing allies they can also be your greatest headache. Beginning with an overview of agency structure, course participants will learn how to build successful teams, avoid creative and strategic conflicts, and generate the best possible work. Further you will understand how to sustain a successful relationship that requires that both parties to work at the relationship; neither party can be expected to exert all the effort.  In the end you will learn that those who adopt a number of simple attitude and behavior guidelines will foster better communication and long-term, will avoid the high financial, emotional, and strategic costs associated with frequent partnering shifts.

An agency's job is to actively create strategies that build your brand, show you ROI, and sell your products as effectively, efficiently and creatively as possible. Those agencies that accomplish this goal with little rework are worth their weight in gold. Unfortunately that is not always the case. You may find that your agency is doing great work, but for other brands. If so, it's time to look within your own organization as well as the agency's for reasons the relationship has gotten off track; suggested steps for improving your relationship include:

• Building expectations and a stronger partnership.
• How to offer constructive feedback that get your project moving in the right direction.
• How to inspire your creative team to do their best work for you and your brands.

No surprise then, client-agency relationships are very complex and require a substantial level of collaboration. However when attention is given to nurturing the close working relationships and interpersonal connections that united the two partners in the first place, magic happens. But, to make a relationship work, all parties involved must remain pro-active in monitoring and evaluating the level of trust, confidence, understanding, and success felt by every other member of the group. Disconnects can strain the relationship until it collapses. Only constant, open communication can solidify the client and agency's expectations and perspectives regarding the other.

Who is this Course For?

Individuals responsible for managing agency relationships or the financial relationship such as procurement, strategic sourcing and purchasing managers.

Key Takeaways:

• Learn how to elevate your agency's interest in your business.
• How to get them to focus on refining strategies that will allow your brand to grow despite a reduced budget. Your agency should be coming to you with the right solutions - before you even asked them to do so.
• How to engage your agency to do their best work?
• How to ensure you have the A team on your account?
• How do you deal with multiple agencies including digital divisions and partners?
• How has compensation and evaluation of service changed?
• How to conduct a review?
• Best practices for conducting an audit?
• How can marketers and procurement better partner?

When

Where

Reed Smith LLP
599 Lexington Avenue
22nd Floor
New York, NY 10022

Instructor: Joanne Davis

Joanne Davis is president of Joanne Davis Consulting, which she founded in 2000. The firm specializes in agency search and compensation, client/agency relationship optimization, training and coaching for marketers, and procurement. Clients include and have included ExxonMobil, Johnson & Johnson, Macy’s, Marriott International, Pfizer, Subway, and leading companies in multiple industries. Prior to starting her firm, Ms. Davis spent 18 months as acting chief marketing officer of the U.S. Department of Defense. She began her career on the agency side.

She is the author of several best-selling books for the ANA and the 4A’s including Agency Audits, Optimizing Client-Agency Relations, A Marketer’s Guide to Conducting an Agency Search, and Build a Better Financial Relationship with Your Agency. Ms. Davis is a member of the executive committee of the board of directors, a former president, and foundation chair of the Advertising Club; a former governor and board member of the American Advertising Federation; and she is a five-time Effie judge. She was profiled by USA Today as one of the five best rainmakers in the U.S., selected by Advertising Age as one of the original 25 Women to Watch, and she has received numerous Presidents’ Awards from advertising clubs. She has a B.A. from the College of New Rochelle and did postgraduate work at New York University.

Ms. Davis has spoken on four continents on client-agency optimization, agency models, and agency search and selection, including in the Kremlin in Moscow, Venice, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Paris, London, and throughout the United States. She has been involved with the ANA since 2002 as a speaker and author. A member of the faculty of the School of Marketing since 2004, she has been the lead instructor for Optimizing Client/Agency Relations.

Agenda

 Introductions:  8:30 am 

• Introductions/Review of Special Needs
• Objectives and Motivations
• 20 Rules for Success and Group Exercise
• Creative Briefs

Break :  10:15-10:30 a.m.

• Creative Briefs and Group Exercise (Continued)
• Creative Work

Lunch: 12:00-1:00 p.m.

• Creative Work and Group Exercise
• Evaluations
• Service and Relationship "Contract"
• Agency Economics/Compensation
• Agency Audits
• Scopes of Work

Break:  3:15-3:30 p.m.

• Multiple Agencies
• Agency Critique and Review
• Your Choice