Who needs to solve problems that advertising agencies face?

© Le Moal Olivier – 123RF.com – with a photographer / designer

‘Advertising’ is just a means to getting to the solution. Over time, ad agencies have evolved into multi-functional organs that provide more creative solutions than just advertising. There are ad agencies that choose to specialise in a given aspect, for example provide only digital or direct marketing solutions.

But ad agencies are businesses too, so who do they consult when they face problems or challenges? I’ve never been exposed to high-level management structures, but it’s safe to assume that the challenges faced by agencies are very similar, if not the same as their clients: how do they continue to offer value that is profitable consistently?

Problem-solving business

My hypothesis is that if ad agencies are offering business solutions, then by default they should either have no problems themselves or at least be able to solve them, should they run into any. After all, solving business problems is what they do, right? There’s a saying that doctors cannot or shouldn’t consult themselves. Does the same principle apply to ad agencies? Should they look elsewhere for solutions to their problems?

Well, if an ad agency has financial business problems, the best way to get out of that is to to be efficient and able to deliver on the promise of solving other business problems.

By solving clients’ business problems, ad agencies gain trust of not only their current clients, but prospects too.

The best advertising for ad agencies is the work they do for their current clients – not just the big ones but all of them. Pitches are not won on pitch days, they are won before the pitch, by the great work executed for current clients (both small and big).

But in terms of other business problems faced by advertising agencies, who do they need to help solve them? Share your thoughts!