Adaptations agency launches SA triple service

Ad-Apts responds to the need for service focused on leveraging costs and offering production solutions for both local and international clients.

“We partner with our client through production options, offering the most effective, budget-friendly solutions available within the time limitations,” states Marsh, who believes her years of experience will add value to easing the continued pressure of escalating advertising costs worldwide.

Adaptations

Internationally, adaptation agencies combine translation services, branding consultancy and copywriting to offer foreign advertisers more than a translation service; they offer the ability to assist the advertiser re-master the initial message in the local idiom.

In South Africa, Ad-Apts tackles the production of commercial adaptations for the local and international market, which require no creative intervention. This is aimed at marketers who work with a lot of international material that requires adaptations for different markets. This includes straight cut downs, replacing pack shots, direct translations, voice-overs or additional scene shoots (including footage sourcing and usage rights).

According to Ad-Apts, these tasks are handled efficiently, cost effectively and seamlessly with SA production houses wherever possible and are facilitated by an experienced producer on behalf of the client, resulting in reduced costs for the client in terms of fees, mark-ups and rebates. This allows full transparency, where discounted rates are passed directly to clients.

By using the strong local skills base, projects are managed from production through to post production, which is not only cost efficient but also offers global technical standards.

Production analysis

The company gets involved at approved script stage to maximise the potential for savings and to ensure the best use is made of the available production budget. In partnership with the agency, the project is looked at holistically, rather than line-by-line, offering alternate solutions to the production possibilities.

By collaborating with agency producers, Ad-Apts is able to analyse clients' current agency supplier database and identify a preferred list, with which rates are then negotiated on the client's behalf. This ensures that clients benefit from 'preferred supplier' status and are offered rates, which are competitive, within budget and produce the best results for the job.

Ad-Ops, launched in 2005, has allegedly managed client's media and creative agency relationships by providing input into commercial aspects of contracts, remuneration negotiation, performance management, training, conflict management and production cost advice.

“Our input and expert opinion added to the production process has proven to yield immeasurable results for our clients,” concludes Marsh, “We have introduced new techniques, reduced costs and increased good governance for our international clients through utilising local industry talent.”