Earlier this month, Euro RSCG Chief Ron Berger made considerable waves at the American Association of Advertising Agencies management conference when he criticized several industry leaders in a
controversial speech. One of those leaders was Association of National Advertisers President and CEO Bob Liodice, who now weighs in with a rebuttal on his ANA website. Liodice was chided by Berger
for encouraging clients to hire several ad agencies to help them with their marketing plans; Berger contended that a single, full-service agency could just as easily do the job. But Liodice stands
his ground in an open letter to Berger. "As marketers seek to innovate and reinvent their brands, they depend on trusted agency partnerships--no question about it," Liodice writes. "However, it is
hard to imagine how any one agency could effectively help a major marketer tackle the diverse, expanding, highly competitive challenges presented by today's dynamic marketing arena--from the
burgeoning interactive/micro media space to the blossoming multicultural marketing landscape, to the fast-changing branded entertainment and sponsorship marketing opportunities, and more. Seriously,
Ron, do you really believe that all these diverse challenges can be effectively met under the aegis of a single agency--without diluting effectiveness? I don't. In fact, it is my strong belief that
in most instances, a roster of agencies--working in tandem--can provide better insight, stronger focus and broader expertise than any single agency. To me, it seems not only appropriate but necessary
that marketers partner with a range of expert resources that collectively offer the full complement of competencies and best practices necessary to build strong, enduring brands. The single-agency
model, in my view, is just not a compelling solution for most major marketers today.
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