January 25, 2023
Forrester: Marketers Must 'Reboot' Agency Lineups
- by Steve McClellan @mp_mcclellan, May 10, 2012
Given the speed of change in the digital world, along with general dissatisfaction by most marketers with their agency lineups, Forrester Research has issued a new report calling for an “agency roster reboot” that would require marketers to embrace new agency models and relationships. The reboot is designed to prepare marketers for the day -- in the not-too-distant future -- when there is little, if any, distinction between digital and traditional shops as most channels increasingly take on digital attributes.
The changing landscape has rendered the so-called “lead agency model” insufficient, Forrester concludes, and marketers should jettison it. “Campaign planning that starts with the 30-second ad and tries to force-fit it to the web blunt interactive possibilities,” the report states. “The time has come for a clean slate.”
Replacing the lead agency model should be a process that is “more open and flexible and that allows each discipline greater freedom to express the campaign strategy.”
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The first task for marketers in the reboot process is to identify which media and channels matter most “based on your target audience’s habit and preferences for gathering information and for engaging and transacting with your brand.”
Another big step: a critical self-evaluation that explores both a marketer’s culture, marketing challenges and staff capabilities as well its current working relationships with agencies. “Have you established processes and best practices in working with your current agencies?” Forrester asks. If not, now is the time to do so.
Clients must assess their agencies as well. The report suggests drawing a roster map that addresses individual agency skills in areas such as strategic contribution, collaboration, breadth of capabilities, metrics and facileness with data and technology.
Once gaps and overlaps have been identified, clients can determine what assignments need to be shifted and which agencies should be retained or let go, followed by searches for replacements.
As much as I respect Forrester, I must disagree.
For CMOs the range of tactical options grows daily, and seemingly exponentially. But these remain *tactical*, and strategy must still come first.
We can't know what kinds of agencies and what sort of skills are needed until we know what our strategies are and what tactics we might employ.
For some marketers, a lead agency focused on TV, with digital playing supporting role will be a valid and productive way to sell.
For others, a complete reboot of agency lineups will indeed be required.
The nagging question for marketers who have been relying heavily on TV will be "am I missing something critically important by not catching the digital wave?" It will be hard for traditional agencies to answer truthfully: to say "digital should play only a minor role for this brand" is to appear tragically un-hip and would go against the agency CEO's goal to drive more digital business and credibility. It will be equally hard for digital agencies to say, because it is saying "please spend your money elsewhere".
What marketers need is internal expertise that can judge these options with no agenda but what will deliver the best results for the company. Few marketers have people like these on staff today, but I predict marketers will need to build this capability soon -- or outsource it to independent consultants.