MQT Panel Advocates Return To Full Service Agencies
A panel of influential media figures at this year’s Media Question Time have voiced support for a return to full service advertising agencies.
Separating an advertiser’s media planning and buying from its creative agency has been an ongoing trend for the better part of three decades. However, panellists questioned if this trend was in the interest of either the employees or the clients.
Mike Anderson, managing director of the Evening Standard, commented: “As a client I would love to have a full service agency. I think the current situation has got very confusing, full-service agencies are a good thing and I think there should be more of them. I think what drove [the split] was money, which was the motivation.”
Simon Rees (pictured), former chief-executive of Mindshare, believes the relationship between creatives and media planners and buyers is problematic. He argued: ” Media and creatives never really sat together that comfortably. In terms of total collaboration I’m not convinced it was really there. I would say the relationship is now getting closer and more effort is being made to get things tighter and I think what you’ll get is a better product.”
Rees also pointed to the IPA’s scheme to train creatives alongside media planners and buyers to facilitate a better understanding of the entire media process and a more unified vision of a client’s advertising strategy.
Andy Jonesco, vice president of interactive marketing at AOL UK, criticised the isolation of media planners and buyers who don’t understand their role in the advertising process. He commented: “You can talk to people and they don’t know what its all about, it must be mind numbingly boring. I would certainly welcome a greater blend and understanding of what the media and creative element are trying to achieve for their clients and what part it plays in the whole advertising process.”
Simon Rees agreed: “There is a big danger buying will become totally mind numbingly boring, but its down to individual companies to make it as exciting as possible. But the environment currently doesn’t lend itself to making excitement. I am increasingly concerned about media departments’ ability to celebrate the medium they are in. Especially in television where it is mainly done on the computer and they’re just going through figures. There is a danger it could become totally procurement led.”
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