Since we operate our own agency assisting marketing technology companies, we know all to well the trials and tribulations of the agency industry. As a boutique agency, we have an advantage in that we can be very picky with our clients. On the other side, we often struggle because enterprise companies don’t want to balance another agency in their marketing mix.
We’ve had some fun poking at challenging clients in our industry. But in all seriousness, we do see a large gap in the expectations that agencies set with our clients and what they’re capable of delivering.
The 2015 RSW/US New Year Outlook survey provides a great deal of information in the gaps that we’re responsible for as agencies. I started my agency because I experienced some of these issues personally while working with agencies at several companies. We have our challenges, too, but I honestly believe our clients would testify that we’re pretty damn good at what we do, we don’t over-promise, and we ultimately provide value.
Here are 14 Troubling Agency Trends found in the survey
- Agencies have silos of specialization/no strategy across platforms
- Lots of turnover in creative and media teams
- Lack of innovation
- Being asked what’s your biggest marketing hurdle – lazy way to start a conversation!
- They over-emphasize data without really understanding it
- Dashing to programmatic marketing without grasping it
- Chasing the next shiny object
- Less emphasis on marketing research
- Lack of value-add
- Cute/funny versus compelling
- Failure to understand metrics and use data appropriately
- Lack of experience in digital space
- Not specific on how technology should be applied
- Selling technology and not the solution
The 2015 RSW/US New Year Outlook survey was completed by 123 senior level Marketers and 158 Marketing Agency executives during December, 2014. The purpose of the survey was to glean insights relative to marketer and agency perspective as they each headed into 2015. Topics explored included troubling trends, spending expectations, the impact of Republican control of the House and Senate, the value of using search consultants to help manage searches, and the movement to consolidate agency rosters, among many others.
© 2014 DK New Media.
