In this new era where technology dominates just about every industry you can think of, it’s safe to say that more traditional fields like advertising have had to adapt. While some of these agencies were not up to the task, others have transformed into top-tier advertising media agencies and used the power of technology to their advantage. This, in turn, allowed the companies that hired them to stand out as well.
However, regardless of the era, one of the main points of contention between clients and advertising agencies has been the lack of communication. Clients feel out of the loop and uninformed about the plans and strategies they paid for, and this never bodes well for anyone. Clients lose faith in their advertising agencies and these agencies begin to lose clients.
The reason for the secrecy may be that these agencies go to great lengths to maintain proprietary control over how they do business. After all, if the client could do the same job or if a competitor was privy to this information, any advertising media agency would be in a real bind. Still, this doesn’t quite satisfy the idea that an ad agency decides to keep a proverbial wall between itself and a client. What gives?
If you’re a business that wants to know a little about what ad media agencies know, but isn’t too forthright about it, here’s a little 411:
They change as much as customers – Being in business is tough on clients, which means advertising media agencies need to stay ahead of the curve to get you where you want to go. As business goes up and down for you, it also changes for them. They just have better poker faces.
The human touch is vital to your existence – Even though the tech push is strong, agencies do their best to keep the human connection front and center in everything they do. It is when this focus is lost that relationships fall apart.
Technology is a high priority – If you are in the media, you need to know everything about devices, platforms, the Internet, social networks and everything else. Clients rely on this knowledge to take them to the top.
The media is a blur – This is where things get a little weird. The definition of media has changed so much in recent years that knowing what media stands for can be difficult. In many ways this can be advantageous because if the media is blurred, the way it is used can also be unique and diverse.
Opportunity versus Publicity – The agencies know it, and so do you. Advertising will be more about what kinds of opportunities can be created rather than just getting the word out about your business. Whether it’s the agency or your client, if there are no opportunities to explore, you may be in the deep end.
Advertising media agencies are without a doubt how the advertising game is played today, and if you want to keep up with the fast-paced world of business, your company needs to become familiar with the ways of these agencies. That said, it’s important to know that they, too, derive their very existence from the very resources whose depths they plumb for their business. As such, it benefits both agencies and their clients to maintain a strong relationship with open communication and understanding.