Why We Pivoted Our ‘Specialist’ Agency Five Times In 15 Years
In this opinion piece, Gavin McDonough (pictured above, co-founder and managing partner of Urban, shares through his own experience some valuable advice for independent specialist agencies.
In November 2017, my brother Ryan and I celebrated 15 years in business.
We started business out of my front room in Melbourne in 2002 – not with any grand plan, but a couple of opportunities and deep determination to be the masters of our destiny.
If awards are a measure of success, by 2014 our specialist marketing agency, Urban, had risen to the top of its game, clean-sweeping all of Australia’s experiential agency awards that year.
We had successfully built and evolved our business proposition in line with everything from the advent of social media to digital, customer experience, content, and even data-driven marketing.
In fact, in our 15 years in business, we pivoted five times in order to service the rapidly-evolving demands placed on our category – surviving while many others perished.
But then the unthinkable happened. The game we had set out to lead 10 years earlier had changed. Although we were successful, our business had begun to stagnate.
We spent the next two years trying to unlock new growth, exporting Urban and our work. But it only affirmed what we already suspected. Our stagnation, it seemed, marked the beginning of the end of experiential marketing as a specialism.
The discipline that we and a couple of others pioneered in Australia in 2002 had been homogenised – broadly defined and universally adopted online, offline and everywhere in between. By 2014, experiential marketing’s once niche ideals of consumer centricity and targeting emotional, over-rational drivers had become mainstream – the norm.
We had seen our specialism born, and it seemed, we were witnessing its evaporation in a period of only 10 years.
So, in 2016, confronted with our own reality, faster agency network consolidation and now competition from management consultancies, we realised we needed to change more than just our tagline. We needed to change how we made money.
We incubated the business, keeping only essential resources for our new mission, plus a few extra to enable us to keep the doors open while we pivoted. We said no to briefs that would prevent us from pivoting. Then we did a 180, committing to a bold new course. We became a hybrid strategic consultancy and creative services firm designed to bridge the gap between uncreative consultancies and unstrategic creative networks. Our mission was to help our clients ‘Unthink’ brand and business problems in order to find new ways to succeed.
Our pivot worked, and in 2017 we had the great fortune to put our approach to work on exciting business challenges. Now in 2018, in an effort to consolidate our learning and good work in 2017, we’ve launched Unthink as an independent strategic adviser to businesses facing their own unthinkable future.
I never thought I’d be in a position to hand out advice to other business leaders, but six pivots in almost 16 years has provided insight and experience worth sharing with other specialist business owners and leaders.
Pivot, don’t perish
Most of the independent and acquired agencies with whom we competed in 2014, let alone 2002, have since disappeared, either shut out by consolidated network efforts to own all client revenue or swallowed up and suffocated by other networks.
If you are a founder or leader of an emerging, new, thriving or stagnant specialist discipline, be aware of the dangers of both. They’re all too common for independent specialist businesses.
Put your ego, awards and all the energy it took you to get where you are aside and begin planning for your disruption or natural demise. It will take vision and fortitude, but it will be the most important thing you do to secure your own unthinkable future.
Embrace failure and lots of it. Your failures are valuable and inform future pivots:
- Stay super-agile. You cannot pivot swiftly with a high headcount or overheads.
- Pivot as many times as you need to find clear air.
- Cut the cord on strategies, products or businesses that served previous pivots.
- Plot your own disruption and act on it.
Pivoting is all part of the journey. Embrace it, don’t resist it.
Latest News
Revium Snags Peter Bauld From Deloitte Digital
Revium, a leading full-service digital and AI consultancy, has announced the appointment of Peter Bauld (lead image) as Executive General Manager. Revium is a full-service digital and AI consultancy with over 20 years of experience creating engaging digital experiences for leading organisations and their customers. Bauld joins Revium after an illustrious career spanning over two […]
EMG/Gravity Media Names New Managing Director
The makers of Australia's Got Talent has been a magnet for senior hires in recent times.
Opinion: Shark Tank’s Sabri Suby Slams Politicians Jumping On TikTok Ban Bandwagon
Are politicians actually scaremongering about TikTok or just fed up of you doom-scrolling in the work bogs?
TV Ratings: “Ivana Was Robbed” – Final Three Contestants Revealed On Australian Idol
B&T's unsure if these Idol contestants look extra young or whether we are as old as we feel.
Veridooh Snatches Prashand Menon From ScentreGroup
Out-of-home OOH) and digital media leader Prashand Menon (lead image) has joined OOH ad tech company Veridooh as group business director within NSW and QLD. Menon joins Veridooh from his most recent role as ScentreGroup’s group business director and brings with him more than 10 years of experience in Australian media. Previously, he held positions […]
Creative Content Studio OK COOL Answers APAC’s Call, Opening In Melbourne
Life set to get extra confusing for new agency staffers mistaking OK COOL for a pass-ag housemate text message.
Harry’s Cafe de Wheels & Hipages Launch New Pie To Fuel Tradies While On The Tools
The pies should apparently be better for tradies' health, apparently but won't be better for on-site ribbing.
Women Leading Tech’s Woman Of The Year Megan Dalla-Camina: What’s The True Cost Of Cutting DEI Spending?
Cutting DE&I spending might seem easy but you might change your mind when faced with Dalla-Camina's ire.
Thrive Introduces A Batch Of New Senior Leadership Roles
You could say that Thrive is set to thrive with these new hires. But that would be too obvious.
It’s Coming Home! Sponsors Make Subbuteo World Cup Finals Free
No idea what Subbuteo is? You clearly had a more exciting childhood than our editorial team.
Media Bigwigs Bet On Predictive Intelligence Platform Prophet In $5M Seed Funding
Prophet, profit, geddit? Must be laugh-a-minute in this startup's office.
CommsDeclare Brands Shell Energy An “Olympic Gaslighter” & Urges Agencies Not To Pitch For Creative Account
And we thought the gaslight Olympics took place in the Coogee Bay Hotel smoking area!
AFL Wins Battle With Warner Bros. As New AFL Team Is Revealed
There hasn't been this much wrangling over a cartoon animal since, well, ever!
BBC Podcasts Go Global With Amazon Music
Ironically, BBC podcasts unlikely to be available in the Amazon given the lack of signal.
Johnson & Johnson’s Former Consumer Healthcare Arm Reviews Creative
J&J inspired by Scottish term for knowledge 'ken' in its rebrand; nothing says 'wise' like a shot of Listerine.
Kat & Co Transforms Into THE WORLD OF Experiential Agency
After more than twelve years of producing experiences for some of the world’s most innovative brands, including Hermes, Van Cleef & Arpels, Louis Vuitton, and Tiffany & Co, Kat & Co has quietly metamorphosed into THE WORLD OF. THE WORLD OF is an experiential agency at the juncture of culture, technology and the human condition. […]
Adobe Brings Firefly Generative AI Into Substance 3D Workflows
Still unclear of what generative AI actually is? Steer clear of this story.
Clemenger BBDO Introduces Saucy Campaign With Declan Cleary & Lee Kum Kee
When we heard this was a saucy campaign, we thought it be the barbecue and ketchup showdown we'd been waiting for.
Gawk Acquires 40 Billboard Locations From Transad
Gawk makes it move out of VIC into NSW with acquisition. Has promised to stop going on about Melbourne nightlife.
All About Attribution: Commission Factory Releases New eBook
Ever wanted to dive deep into channel attribution? Consider this the perfect springboard.
SMG Studio Launches Risk: Global Domination X Dune Part Two
Through a licensing agreement with Legendary Entertainment, SMG Studio inked the rights to adapt Dune: Part Two into a game based on Risk: Global Domination, Hasbro’s interactive board game. Inspired by Denis Villeneuve’s cinematic masterpiece, Dune: Part Two, this new digital adaptation, RISK: Global Domination X Dune: Part Two, is poised to captivate players from […]
RMIT Study Reveals That 73% Of Employees Don’t Believe Gen AI Is Relevant
Noticing staff switching off when you tell them about gen AI? Understand why here.
Australian Eggs Launches Egg-citing New Campaign Via Connecting Plots
How do you like your eggs in the morning? We usually skip them and go straight for the darts and whisky.
Future Lions 2024 Invites Young People To Be Heard With Spotify
Future Lions, of course, is the AKQA-backed student initiative at Cannes Lions, not a feeder for the rugby team.
QMS: Taylor Swift, Lunar New Year & Mardi Gras Were Boon For OOH Market
Taylor Swift, Lunar New Year and the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Festival have had a dramatic impact on the number of people moving in and around Sydney over the past month, drawing big crowds into the heart of the city and its surrounding suburbs. New data from digital outdoor company QMS reveals a […]
Legend John McEnroe Joins Pepperstone’s Team Of Global Tennis Ambassadors
Despite the deal, McEnroe remains confused about difference between above- and below-the-line marketing.
LinkedIn Launches New Thought Leader Ads For Companies To Promote Member Posts
Though LinkedIn couldn't get any more insufferable? You thought wrong.
Latrell Mitchell Smacked On Wrist After Dropping Multiple F-Bombs In Post-Match Triple M Interview
Andrew Abdo has confirmed he is not angry... just disappointed.
TV Ratings: “When You Do Love Yourself, You’re Amazing” – Is This MAFS Most Heart-breaking Split?
Hold the press. MAFS groom and bride actually shown to be nice people.
Opinion: The Only Drag Marketers Should Be Worried About
Thought Transactional Drag was a lifeless club night in Newtown? Read this and you'll think again.
AWARD School Welcomes Class Of 2024
It's best to think of AWARD School like Survivor but with pitch decks instead of swimwear.
Interest In Motorsports Reaches New Heights As Formula 1 Grand Prix Revenue Expected To Surpass $100 Million
Need to get a dull sports client some quick results? Rustle up a Netflix series and watch the dollars roll in.
Chair Rob Murray To Depart As SCA Considers ARN’s Latest Takeover Bid
Struggling to make heads or tails of the SCA & ARN saga? Add this to your woes.
Adland Legend John Singleton Separates From Seventh Wife
Singo calls it quits with seventh wife as his race with Rupert Murdoch to become the most-married man continues.
ACCC Eyes Search Competition, Citing ‘Decreasing’ Quality & Rise In Generative AI
The only decline in search quality we notice is when B&T doesn't appear at the top of Google.
“Imagine A Career Above The Clouds”: Royal Australian Air Force Launches New Campaign Via VML
Don't worry about the forthcoming war with China - at least you'll get a bird's-eye view of the apocalypse.