Over the years, the dynamic between agencies and advertisers has undergone a metamorphosis. What was once a rather rigid relationship, punctuated by endless briefs and recommendations, has been transformed into a cross-disciplinary collaboration.
In this modern era, the rules of the game have been turned on their head. This rule places advertisers at the heart of the construction of their brand image and their marketing strategy. Agencies have therefore had to rethink their creative approach, with a dose of humility and a deeper commitment.
Co-creation, far from being a trendy concept, has become a truly effective catalyst for unleashing creativity.
This collaborative approach ensures that the proposed solution is truly inspiring for brands. It offers greater relevance, a deeper understanding of customer challenges and welcome flexibility.
The advertiser in search of autonomy
Fundamentally, what advertisers are looking for is greater autonomy in the implementation of their strategy. It’s crucial that the agency takes this on board at the start of the collaboration, even if it means disrupting its habits. Agencies therefore need to adapt and rethink their model.
Over time, many small and medium-sized agencies have been faced with a dilemma: broaden their field of expertise to include consultancy services, or risk losing market share to more specialised consultancies.
Already in 2019, a study conducted by VTSCAN revealed that 92% of agencies were aware that their scope of intervention had changed in the space of 3 years.
In reality, this change offers an opportunity for agencies to innovate and strengthen their partnership with advertisers. This means agreeing to rethink their business model, investing in the development of new skills, training their teams and, in some cases, acquiring external talent.
Sometimes the best idea comes from the advertiser
Once relegated to the simple role of approving or rejecting an agency proposal, the advertiser’s creativity is now recognised at its true value. In a co-creation approach, there are no barriers to expression: all ideas are welcome, without judgement or self-censorship. Everyone can share their vision and submit it to the group to assess its potential; it’s a real ideas laboratory where imagination reigns supreme! And sometimes, the creative nugget emerges directly from the advertiser itself.
No more strategies that are impossible to implement on the client’s site
Workshops have become the norm. By working together, the agency and client move forward hand in hand, able to decide on their strategy in a matter of minutes, where the usual process takes days. No more brilliant proposals that are unrealistic for the client. At the end of the workshop, the customer is fully involved, with a full understanding of the how and why of the proposal they have developed. They become autonomous, ready to bring the strategy to life and develop it with confidence.
Conclusion
There has beena significant change in the nature of the relationship between brands and their agencies. It is no longer simply a question of executing specific tasks, but rather of a deeper and more strategic collaboration. Agencies are becoming thought partners, enriching brands’ in-house expertise and playing an active role in shaping overall strategy.
The real challenge for agencies therefore lies in their ability to metamorphose into extensions of brands’ in-house teams. This would be invaluable at a time when bandwidth is limited and change is constant. Strategic collaboration is the key to remaining competitive in this dynamic environment.
In conclusion, integrating consultancy into the services of small and medium-sized agencies has become a necessity if they are to remain competitive in a constantly evolving market. Not only does this help to meet advertisers’ expectations, it also guarantees the agency’s long-term growth and sustainability.
See also: Designing your brand platform
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