Should Agencies Bother Marketing Themselves?
They spend a whole bunch of time converting their creative prowess into ROI for clients, but how on earth do agencies go about marketing themselves and does it even matter?
The media industry in Australia is a tight-knit one and Nicole McInnes, marketing director at Adshel believes traditional integrated marketing doesn’t deliver great ROI. Instead, she says: “Agencies utilise reputation to do the job of marketing and the currency of reputation in this instance is relationships and awards.”
“Some might ask why advertising agencies can create amazing ads for their clients but not for themselves. But it’s their ads for others that act as their marketing so there really is no need there,” adds McInnes.
Toby Hemming, director at Bold Media disagrees. He says: “It’s very important for agencies to market themselves. They are very good at telling their clients they should be investing in marketing, but they’re very bad at doing it themselves.”
Hemming argues that there is an over reliance on awards to market a particular agency and believes it isn’t a fair reflection of how that agency is performing industry wide.
“The old thinking is this ‘we win a load of awards and chuck them in the reception and people are going to know we’re great’. Awards are only as good as the people who enter them and often, you see the same people popping up over again,” says Hemming.
“Most people know that if you can be arsed to put in a submission, you’ve got a chance of winning it – but if you haven’t got the time and resources, then you don’t,” he adds.
Tom Spicer is the executive creative director at creative agency Arnold Furnace and believes that agencies are “notoriously poor at marketing themselves” but insists it “isn’t rocket science”. He says: “Of course it’s about producing great work, but that doesn’t just mean winning awards. It means work that gets talked about in channels beyond advertising and the narrow borders of industry magazines. Work that gets the attention of your mates, your Facebook feed and the wider news media.” Spicer believes work that draws attention through such channels will be a more effective business tool than winning an award.
Jon Holloway is the managing director at creative agency The Conscience Organisation and appreciates both sides of the agency marketing debate. He says: “Australia’s industry is built on a foundation of networking and close connections but traditional marketing practices such as awards and events also help – but they only get an agency so far. What agencies think, say and do is truly important but it doesn’t necessarily produce ROI.”
Founder of industry service start up MediaScope, Denise Shrivell says there’s substantial ongoing debate about there being too many awards. She says: “It’s a pay to play arrangement. It’s not necessarily an award for the best, but an award for a small group who have the resources and time to enter.”
“I see a lot of [agencies] try to market themselves through the numerous awards that are available in the market,” says Shrivell.
“Some agencies have their own blogs, websites, and Twitter accounts which are used as part of a marketing strategy – some put more effort in than others – but then you have the quiet achievers who just get on with it,” explains Shrivell.
Droga5’s creative director David Nobay believes “if an agency spends too much time talking about itself the obvious danger is that clients will think they’re too busy using their energy to talk about themselves than about the them.” Nobay admits however that the best agencies are brands, “they know they’re brands.”
McInnes says: “Where [agencies] do really well though, is when they turn their talents inward and create fun content that really captures the heart of who they are.”
But this doesn’t wash with Hemming who foresees a break down in the current agency culture and this means self-promotion. He says: “A lot of it’s got to do with the ‘Old Boy network’ – at the top are a bunch of middle-aged white men who all know each other and go out on the piss with each other, and they’ve probably all worked together at one time or another. The older agencies just believe they have to keep up their contact book and they’ll get the work.”
“That will change massively now we’ve got digital PR and digital marketing – there are small, new companies opening up that can cover everything, while the older ones can’t. Then [the older ones] are surprised when they don’t get the pitches,” Hemming adds.
McInnes likens the development of the digital landscape as a platform for agencies to market themselves as “a reputation economy”.
“Technology is making the world like a community again,” says McInnes.
“We’re a a really small market in Australia – less than six degrees separated from each other,” explains Shrivell. “I might be a little naive about this, but I believe getting the job done is the best marketing an agency can do.” She adds that some agencies sponsor events or have guest speakers, which are also means of marketing.
Holloway believes having constructive conversations with the right people at the right time is integral to building business. He says: “Being prepared to nurture new and existing relationships is necessary to growing a portfolio. Personal experience is that having an opinion – a different view of things – and being able to speak to it as opportunities arise gets one agency through the door.”
“These kinds of activities alone only appeal to certain types of clients who are willing to take a risk. Most clients want to work with people they trust or their industry friends trust. That’s especially the case for digital agencies where its increasingly difficult for awards to meaningfully demonstrate ability, reliability and breadth of services that a client may be interested in,” explains Dave Bentley, the Australian managing director of Lowe Profero.
“It goes without saying that a strong well established reputation in market combined with award winning work is a killer combination,” adds Bentley.
But despite the existence of real-life or virtual communities, Hemming is concerned that the phenomenon of dissipating client loyalty to brands is also occurring at the agency level. He says: “To a degree, clients aren’t as loyal to agencies as they once were; they are inclined to sniff around.”
So how do agencies prevent that from happening?
“I’m increasingly seeing marketing managers pop up into the scene,” says Shrivell. “I believe a lot of the relationships within our industry are still very important – so personal networks becomes important in building and maintaining business.”
Hemming argues that it would be so valuable for agencies to employ a marketing manager. He says: “The market is changing – it’s a no-brainer. Communicators are really bad at communicating. When you look at an agency’s social media, their PR, their marketing – not many people doing it well and it wouldn’t take much to change that.”
Just as agencies want their clients to be firm about what they stand for, perhaps agencies too, could benefit from identifying what differentiates them from other agencies this small, yet competitive industry.
“As a client, it would be nice to know what the differentiating factors are between agencies,” says Hemming.
Droga5’s Nobay believes this is the oldest debate on earth. He says: “There isn’t a simple answer and it depends on the client. I have clients who embrace Cannes and they go there and want nothing more than to see their own brand celebrated. Then I have other clients who don’t.”
Please login with linkedin to comment
Advertising Standards Bureau Anne Markey ASOS Central Station content Harry Dewhirst iinet SMK streaming services TescoLatest News
The Unapproved Climate Certification Allegedly Causing Mass Greenwashing
Are you left flummoxed in the canned tuna & free range eggs aisle? Just wait till this green certification gets up.
TV Ratings (22/04/2024): Fans Mock “Over The Top” Reaction To New MasterChef Judges
MasterChef returns for its 2024 season. B&T stands by putting peppercorns in Gravox & no one will be any the wiser.
Dentsu Restructure: Muddle, Harvey & Johnston Take Leadership Baton As Bass & Yurisich Exit
A large broom has swept through Dentsu's local ops this morning, taking with it some big names & the air con's cobwebs.
Industry Shares Trends Shaping The Industry This International Creators Day
B&T's asking adland creators to reveal their top trends. And it's not good news for your Jenny Kee cardigan collection.
Mable Extends HOYTS Sensory Screenings Partnership
Mable has extended its HOYTS sensory screening partnership. Vigorously defends its two-star Oppenheimer review.
Orphan Launches ‘They Need Our Help. We Need Yours’ For Children’s Cancer Institute
Anything to do with childhood cancers has B&T's 110% support. That said, we do ignore the red meat & alcohol warnings.
Smile Team Orthodontics & Keep Left Collaborate On Smile-Inducing Campaign
As parents would attest, given the cost of orthodontics you'd expect this campaign to be a lavish production indeed.
Opinion: How Video Calls Neglect Learning Diversity
Need an excuse to duck out of a video call this arvo? Show this to your boss.
DoubleVerify Achieves First-Of-Its-Kind Responsible AI Certification From TrustArc
DoubleVerify receives responsible AI certification. However, not its robotic vacuum that's been seen menacing the cat.
Smile For A Good Cause: The Social Media Campaign Giving Back To The Community
Are you known as the office Austin Powers? More for you teeth than shagability? Get snappy new fangs with this news.
Elon Musk Mocks Albo After ESafety Wins Court Injunction Against X
Albo's 2024 from hell continues - Rabbitohs in crisis, down in the polls and now feuding with world's richest man.
Real Estate Developer In Hot Water Over “Sexually Exploitative” OOH Campaign
Real estate agents again tops in the 'least trusted profession' polls, nudging used car salesmen & ad creatives.
Epsilon’s Shane Hanby: Post-Cookie Era Relies On “Teamwork” Between Brands, Marketers & Tech
This pro predicts more "teamwork" in a post-cookie era. Which spells bad news for the uncooperative or plain stubborn.
Entries For Five Decades Of Advertising Graduates Awards Close On Monday
Entries for the Five Decades of Advertising awards close Monday. And no extensions! Any bribery is open til Wednesday.
Cadbury Extends Commitment To Women’s Sport With Sweet New Wallaroos Deal
Rot your teeth, get fat and support women's sport all at the same time with this sweet new sponsorship arrangement.
Campfire X & Nando’s Partner To Acknowledge Traditional Land Owners Across Australia
Chicken chain unveils important First Nations initiative. The actual chickens more concerned with the Adani coal mine.
Lisa Ronson, Naysla Edwards & Ben Hill Join MFA Awards Signature Judging Panel
MFA Awards adds some serious clout to its judging panel. Still no confirmation Paulini will be performing on the night.
Connect Hearing ‘Sounds Good’ Platform Via Bread Agency
Every office has that one hard of hearing person that's oblivious to the fact. Ramp up their insecurities with this.
Ipsos Iris Data: Australians Prioritise Entertainment & Sports Over Serious News In March
Data shows Aussies prioritising light entertainment over hard news. And who can blame them if you've seen the hard news!
Fur Media Partners With Mad Paws To Support Advertisers
It's never good if your office smells like faeces & brine chunks in aspic. Not if you're pet-friendly agency Fur Media.
MAXIBON Drops Epic Flavour Collaboration Via SICKDOGWOLFMAN
There are few pluses to be had with global warming, except the extension of ice-cream eating season.
Sling & Stone Scrubs Up With Lush Account
Got friends at Sling & Stone? Expect the dreaded loofah and bath bomb for birthdays/Christmas this year.
SBS’s The Cook Up With Adam Liaw Produces ‘Fewer CO2 Emissions Than Industry Average’
SBS could go full vegan for Adam Liaw's seventh season and reduce its TV audience and emissions by 99 per cent.
GumGum & Playground xyz To Merge Media Portfolio, Creating “Powerhouse” Ad Suite
GumGum & Playground xyz tap into consumer mindset. B&T prefers tapping a keg, but whatever works.
All The Winners & Grinners From The TikTok Young Lions Awards Night!
Last week saw every part of the human experience: Exalted, devastated, exhausted & stuffing sausage rolls in the corner.
TV Ratings (21/4/24): Farmer Wants A Wife Wins Sunday Prime Time
Farmer Wants A Wife does make the country life seductive. Apart from the manure stench & the bleating roosters at 5am.
Australia’s Automotive Industry Shifts Gears With CTV
How much was CTV responsible for Australia's record car sales in 2023? Or those horrible oversized American utes?
Australia’s C7EVEN Communications Launches Services In Japan With New Tokyo Office
Aussie comms agency unveils its Tokyo plans. Confirms it's still getting the hang of the toilets over there.
Daniel Goldstein Promoted To Head Of PR At Example
Try as he may to surreptitiously blend in with the wall in his photo, this PR fellow still relatively easy to spot.
Marie Claire & Volvo Partner For The Planet: Nominees For The Inaugural Marie Claire Sustainability Awards Announced
Fashion bible Marie Claire unveils its Sustainability Awards. Yet still refusing to recycle 2023's maxi skirts trend.
Sefiani Unveils A Wave Of Promotions & Appointments
Life's good in PR/comms as Sefiani unveils new hires. Well, bad news for media sites obsessed with redundancy stories.
Yahoo Launches Identity Solutions For CTV
Connected TV just got a whole lot more exciting with this innovation. Bar the incessant Friends re-runs.
Infosum Launches Data Clean Room Solution With Samsung Ads Australia
Infosum & Samsung Ads launch a data clean room solution that's a lot more than a Wettex & squirt of Ajax.
Fast 10: Bread Agency’s Amaury Treguer On Its “Unrivalled” Social Commerce Focus
Bread Agency's Amaury Treguer takes B&T's Fast 10, as he reveals why he won't be sandwiched up against the opposition.
X And Elon Musk To Sue Australia’s eSafety Commissioner Over Sydney Stabbing Takedown Order
If this all wasn't traumatic enough, Elon weighs in to prove he's the world's richest man & world's biggest dickhead.
CRA Siren Award To Be Presented At B&T Awards 2024!
Often attend award nights & think "I wish this night would never end"? Well, B&T's just got that tiny bit longer.