Solving the multi-agency dilemma for CMOs

A recent masterclass from Scopen, on the Agency Scope’s global trends, highlighted the need to find a solution for the complexity that chief marketing officers are facing in having to manage 12 or more agency partners — this staggering trend which seems to be the norm in SA and in fact around the world. That’s a lot of partners, people and tasks to manage, control, measure, track, finance and coordinate!

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The solution touted is to have a lead agency to establish which agencies are responsible for which space and to keep them in their own lanes. The potential for discord and disaster seems immense.

A simpler solution is the idea of the ‘specialist agencies under one roof’ concept that is on the rise in our industry. It’s a new take on the integrated, full-service agency, but rather than integrated, these specialist services act as unique service lines under one agency umbrella.

This approach of aligning primary specialist services (supported by out of industry specialists where required) under one banner, is a less complex manner of being able to assist the CMO with the majority, if not all, of the advertising services required.

One captain, with a strong hand at the helm, steering one ship, with all hands on one deck, seems far more plausible an answer than one captain trying to direct and steer a number of ships, each belonging to a different fleet with a multitude of hands – largely unknown. That seems like an impossible task!

What does a single, specialist services agency like Ebony+Ivory offer?

1. Expertise in all aspects of advertising, both traditional and digital

This includes strategy, creative, media planning and buying, research and analytics, production, reputation and crisis management, events and activation, social and digital, implementation and measurement.

Having all of these services under one agency umbrella allows for a coordinated and cohesive approach to campaigns, which is essential for success. Our agency can work with the CMO to develop a comprehensive advertising strategy that aligns with the organization's overall business goals and objectives and ensures a seamless and co-ordinated delivery of that strategy.

2. We save time, money and resources

Advertising campaigns require a significant investment of time and money, especially when managing multiple campaigns across various media channels. As a specialist services agency, Ebony+Ivory can manage all aspects of the campaign, from concept to execution, freeing up the CMO's time to focus on other critical marketing activities.

Additionally, our expertise and experience provide the holistic overview to ensure alignment that can only be achieved through an end-to-end understanding of a clients’ requirements. Not to mention the cost savings achieved through more effective media buying, production processes and digital dissemination.

3. Access to the latest industry trends and technology

Advertising is a constantly evolving field, with new channels and technologies emerging regularly. Keeping up with these trends can be challenging when trying to leverage this information across different agencies to understand the impact, value and implications in each channel but also the integration opportunity. Ebony+Ivory is dedicated to staying up to date with the latest developments and to understand and implement them across the value chain. This means the CMO can benefit from the agency's expertise and access to the latest tools and technologies to ensure their advertising campaigns are as effective as possible, and again, enhanced by the holistic view of what needs to be achieved.

4. Valuable insights through data analytics

In today's digital age, data analytics are critical to measuring the success of advertising campaigns. A specialist services advertising agency can provide detailed analysis and reporting on the performance of advertising campaigns, including including user behaviour, audience segmentation and ROAS (return on ad spend) because the data is held under the umbrella of the single agency. This data is used to optimise campaigns and improve their effectiveness.

5. A fresh perspective when looking at the full picture, instead of only a small part of it

Silo’ed teams can become entrenched in their thinking and may miss opportunities for innovation and creativity because they are not integrated into the end-to-end process. A specialist services agency can deliver on ideas, delivery and tracking that can help differentiate the brand and increase its appeal to customers.

The result is that as a specialist services advertising agency, Ebony+Ivory provides significant value. With expertise in all aspects of advertising, access to the latest trends and technology, and valuable insights through data analytics, a specialist services agency can help optimise advertising campaigns, save time, money and resources and drive revenue growth.

Let’s talk about your advertising needs… az.oc.yroviynobe@ofni or call us on +27 11 327 6871 or +27 21 035 1401

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