Agency Seminar: What’s The Difference?

One of the topics discussed at yesterday’s ‘Future of the Media Agency’ seminar hosted by MediaTel Group was how clients can distinguish between the large agency networks.

Echoing the discussions at the Venice Festival of Media earlier this year (see Eight CEOs – spot the difference!), the panel of Nick Manning (Ebiquity), Mark Read (WPP), Paul Phillips (AAR), Greg Grimmer (Hurrell Dawson Moseley and Grimmer) and Nigel Morris (Isobar) struggled to come up with any key differentiators.

Paul Phillips said that the major groups have a recognised framework of services (eg ROI, econometrics and data) so clients often differentiate on softer elements. He highlighted the need for agency and client to be able to speak a common language, be that investment and ROI or branding and engagement.

Some on the panel felt it was the people at agencies that provide the difference, with Nick Manning citing a previous client saying that he could “put the agency in front of his board and feel proud”.

Nigel Morris also felt the personnel put in front of a client could deliver a wide variation in service: “six people could be brilliant, whereas six people all at the same level could be average”.

Nick Manning felt that there was a need for agencies to try harder to distinguish themselves, congratulating Mindshare’s recent attempts to reposition themselves, believing that agencies should get out and do more rather than just talking.

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