Rethinking the Agency Search

So you’re looking for an advertising agency. Maybe it’s for a project or a campaign, perhaps it’s for more of a long-term relationship.

Straightforward process, right?

Simply send out an RFP to three to five reputable agencies, maybe shortlist for an hour presentation to see who best fits your needs, then make your selection.

The problem with this model is that a 20-30 page proposal and an hour in a boardroom is not necessarily indicative of what a real working relationship is all about. It’s not fair to the agencies involved and more importantly, it’s not fair to the client.

Another approach to take is to include a strategic assignment—asking the agency their thoughts on how they may approach a client issue. This is problematic too. Reaching a deep understanding of a client’s brand and the human truths that motivate their customers is challenging, if not impossible to achieve without a great deal of interaction with the client and some really well designed research.

The cost of new business presentations is significant. A study conducted by KPMG for the Institute of Communication Agencies (ICA) found that capability-only presentations cost agencies an average of $6,700. When incorporating a strategic assignment, that cost rose to $30,500 on average.¹

Ultimately, costs from pitching new business get passed along to clients, which begs the question: Are clients getting full value out of the pitch process? I think there’s a better way.

I believe that an agency search should be less of a selection process and more of a connection process. It should be an exercise in interactivity that sets the stage for a partnership built on trust and a shared desire to create the best work.

Of course, it’s not a perfect science and there‘s no magic formula for how to choose the best agency relationship for you. However, I think there are some things that should always be considered to help you get the most out of the process.

1. Clients must really be in a position to get the most out of an agency. They should have enough knowledge to brief the agency and clearly prioritize what they need.
2. Agencies must afford the same respect to the client. Proposals ought not to be developed from templates. It’s insulting to the client and we don’t do it.
3. Clients can realize a great deal of value from spending time with people from the agency. Touring through the shop is not enough. Be open to real interaction and discussions about the brand or issue. Plus, thinking through a problem is fun.
4. Agencies should prioritize business they are genuinely interested in and be more selective about what they work on—and be open to telling this to clients.

There are some great resources out there that can assist in selecting an agency. A good starting point is contacting the Institute of Communication Agencies (ICA). They can provide you with resources that discuss best practices in selecting an agency.

All agencies really want to do is create the best work for their clients. Setting up the relationship right at the beginning is a positive first step toward achieving that goal.