When the CEO’s fist smashed into the table… I finally learned something.
In this guest post, Ashton Bishop calls for agencies to stop pretending they understand their client’s business
You can’t work in advertising without pitching. And you haven’t worked in advertising until you’ve brutally lost one.
My brutal humiliation happened five years ago when a major media client interrupted us mid-sentence.
It was the classic agency line our MD was parading: “See the thing is that we know your business and…”
Is that THE puffy shirt?
Surely this is just Wil Wheatons “Don’t be a dick”?
agree with everything in this article, except those 3 companies he mentioned who have apparently nailed their marketing approach.. never heard of any of them.
It seems like clients don’t know their business either. Often they haven’t asked themselves the fundamentals.
it’s a good point – I used to work in government and the agencies that would turn up there always pulled the line “we know how government works”. If only they did!!
Its not about knowing our clients business, its about understanding it – which is a very different thing. And we do need to understand it in order to work with them. If you don’t, how can you possibly advise them on media strategy / buying / planning / etc?
I agree Ash. The sentiment is spot on. Be honest from the start. The arrogance in the “we know your business” statement is astounding.
Well said Ash. The best work comes from great partnerships, with agency & client respecting each other’s expertise. Your article reminded me of the Avis Rent A Car Advertising Philosophy, crafted by Avis CEO Robert Townsend and DDB’s Bill Bernbach in 1962. The first point of the six-point philosophy reads:
“1. Avis will never know as much about advertising as DDB and DDB will never know as much about the rent a car business as Avis”
Great article. There’s a major agency working with our business that could learn a thing or two from this article. Despite multiple interactions over a number of years, they still don’t get what the business is about. The advertising guys love it, but the attitude from others who are more knowledgable of the business is “who are these guys and why are they telling me about my own company?”.
Fabulous perspective, and certainly one that is making the difference for your company.
I think that to tell a client that you understand “their business” is presumptive. However, if you do not understand “the business” that the client is in now, and how that business could develop, then what are you offering them?
Point well made, and it certainly applies to PR. I once told a prospective client’s people that I knew nothing about their industry sector, but I did know about PR, and it seemed that PR expertise was what they wanted. Still working with those people 10 years later and considered a specialist in that industry. Oh, and I still don’t know their industry as well as they do.
The main thing agencies understand is the need to justify their existence. Media and Advertising isn’t a black art. It’s simply a relationship between buyers (clients) and suppliers (media owners), like any other business… only with far too many people in the middle to muddy the waters. Yes, I’m sure the 22 year old buyer who buys spots for 4 different clients based on who can get grand final or ANTM tickets “understands your business”.
Wot, you mean like be honest and humble and that.
Do some research so you like knows what you do and want you dont know. And then talk with the client (owner or responsible party) who lives and breathes the business) with respect for his knowledge and a sensible request for him to inform you further on all that stuff what you dont know.
So we shouldnt just rock in looking pretty and dazzle him with our general omniscience?? I thought the ad industry worked because we are all groovy special people, with the world just waiting for our pearls of wisdom.
I jest of course …..But seriously good pointer Ashton.
One bad meeting with Kerry Packer could have told you all that and you wouldn’t have had to tell such a long story.
Well said Ash, I agree very much. Not being in the same business as your client does not mean that you shouldn’t understand their business after time and a deeply involved relationship. But being too premature in making such a big statement deserves the slap down.
A great article that doesn’t surprise me. My experience as a client of Step Change Marketing is that they do exactly that. They are very smart at “co-creating” and building on the knowledge that already exists in the business. A great read Ash!
Thanks for sharing Ash.
Couldn’t agree more @Joe Talcott
Jason @ 3:15pm – you are spot on!
“If I buy X amount of spots with Channel Y, will they take me out for lunch next week?”
Danny & Jason, I think you’re right that SOME people in media behave like this, but they’re the people who do this job for the perks and ultimately aren’t passionate enough to do a good job, they can’t handle the work and end up leaving (or at least, end up getting a reputation for being rubbish at their job).
Media owners and many agencies are smart enough to catch people out who behave in this way and there are serious consequences.
Your comments may be based on personal experience, but in the 10+ years that I’ve been working in agencies the lunches, tickets, etc are not based on an agreement to buy “x in return for y” – they are an extra, unexpected perk (which some agencies need to declare) that also genuinely helps to build relationships with media owners and is part of our job. Clients are often made aware of or invited to lunches to say thank you for business.
I have experienced more occasions where the shoe is on the other foot and media owners say “if you buy x, we will give you y” – in every instance I’m aware of this type of unethical behaviour is shut down immediately.
I’m not naive and understand that some people take the piss, but they’re a minority, not the norm.