Is our CMO minding the store?
The WPP-Sony warning for marketers By now, your CEO has probably read about it. Former WPP executive Richard Foster’s amended complaint, filed in August in New York State Supreme Court, alleges that Sony ran its own forensic investigation into WPP’s media operation and concluded the holding company was operating a “global crime scheme.” The filing […]
What’s the perfect way to kick off a pitch?
How to make your pitch opening more prospect-friendly Agency pitches have a universal problem: getting off to a good start. We see hundreds of agency pitches each year, and most fail to stand out or capture the hearts and minds of the prospective clients. Many agencies are just too eager to get in and sell […]
What’s the $4 Billion Media Oversight Failure?
Every day it seems that marketers are more and more focused on marketplace measures of the performance of their marketing investment. MMM, MTA, ROAS, incremental studies, lift studies, etc. The C-Suite expects proof of performance and marketers are scrambling to prove that their budgets are working. Unfortunately, countless marketers are not holding themselves and their […]
What questions are the big Holdcos dodging about Principal Media?
Here are 16 of them! There is a lot of press about Principal Media operations of the big Holding Companies. Experts like former Ebiquity leader Nick Manning, the ANA’s Bill Duggan and the fine folks at Digiday, Mi-3 and AdExchanger have covered the ground pretty thoroughly. And despite all of that knowledge and mental muscle, […]
How to write proposals that win
Your agency is terrific, but your proposals aren’t. You have a talented team. Your work is smart. Clients love you. You get asked to write proposals. Despite all that talent and success, your proposals simply aren’t winning enough new business. Maybe you aren’t winning enough, or winning the big ones, or winning the ones you […]
Are the Indies Really Growing?
There is a comfortable story making the rounds: independent agencies are having a moment, the holding companies are in decline, and the future belongs to nimble, founder-led shops. You’ll read about it in the advertising trade press. Countless consultants selling services to independent agencies proclaim it loudly on LinkedIn, at agency conferences and on their […]
21 Tips for running a better agency review
You need a new agency. It could be an agency to lead creative, media, PR, social, influencer, shopper marketing or any other marketing strategy. You’ve initiated a review that you are overseeing personally and it’s proving to be considerably more challenging and time intensive than you initially anticipated. Heck, you already had a full-time job […]
The Pitch Readiness Checklist for Agencies
After several relatively quiet years, many believe we are on the cusp of an avalanche of agency pitch opportunities. Media will once again lead the way, but we also expect a strong market for creative, social and PR opportunities. Is your agency ready? Doing great work and delighting your clients is essential. Great work creates […]
AI, Agencies, and a Warning
AI is everywhere, and a very popular discussion when it comes to marketers and their agencies. Like any new technology, there will be good and bad players. In the world of marketers and their agencies, most agencies will leverage AI to deliver even better support and outcomes for their clients. And some won’t. And unfortunately, […]
The New Reality of Agency Search: Why Clarity Wins in a Sea of Choice
If you’ve participated in an agency search recently, you’ve likely noticed a shift. What we’re seeing: RFIs are met with unexpected declines. Shortlisted agencies withdraw late in the process. Clients feel overwhelmed by options, even with expert guidance. Agencies struggle to convey their unique value before the clock runs out. What used to be “one-off” […]