The number of searches conducted by marketers for agencies with media planning and buying capabilities declined 48 percent in July from June. That represents a turnabout for media services, which were one of the most active areas of credentials searches through the first half of 2005.
The decline in media-related searches compares with an overall drop in total agency searches of 27 percent from June to July. Branding/product development credentials searches were the next steepest decline--falling 39 percent from June, while full-service shops were off 32 percent.
Interactive agency searches were one of the most stable categories, falling only 22 percent according to the AdForum data.
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The downturn appears to be part of a normal cyclical pattern during the summer months, said Chris Wynne, president-CEO of AdForum. "The decline in July searches corresponds with a general slowdown in agency research activity that occurs in July and August," he explained. "The July 2005 search numbers were flat with July of last year."
The fall-off appears to reflect a summer malaise across all marketing sectors, although the entertainment category, which fell 40 percent, was down the most. Business-to-business-related searches, interestingly, were off the least, falling only 15 percent.
The only market segment to actually experience an uptick in inquiries during July was the Asian-American agency category, which rose 12 percent.