Making a global rebrand resonate locally

With agencies evolving into the integrated communications sphere, the silo approach no longer works. As we steadily approach 2016, even the most specialised agencies are pushed to expand their remit and offering.

James Wilson

Then there's the fact that clients are still looking for great content and results and have a better understanding of what integrated communications can offer than ever before.

Put these together and you'll better understand the sentiments of Wilson, who joined WE South Africa earlier in 2015 and has been making great strides in raising awareness of the difference between corporate and agency life, based on his experience on both sides of the fence. He also has strong ideas on the future of communications and what agencies could be doing better for their corporate clients - and vice versa.

I chatted to Wilson about all this, but kicked off with some context from the story of the communications agency's global rebrand into WE Communications from Waggener Edstrom....

1. A global rebrand is a massive undertaking. Tell us how and why the rebrand from Waggener Edstrom to WE come about.

Wilson: After 30 years of being in the industry, we've had to ask: 'how do we really see ourselves?' Knowing that the biggest strength of this agency is in the way it collaborates with brands, clients and partners, we decided to call ourselves 'WE' - an apt term for a group of intelligent and spirited consultants who are passionate about providing the best solution to a problem; a solution that lives within the intersection of people, brands and technology. Our founders, Pam Edstrom and Melissa Waggener Zorkin, felt that it's always been about other people and not about themselves, and that the collective is really what is going to keep us in the independent game now and into the future.

2. Providing another glimpse at 'agencies of the future', WE CEO Waggener Zorkin blogged that she 'took her name off the door' - explain this interesting strategy.

Wilson: It's a global strategy that has been deployed in every territory WE operates in, including North America, APAC and EMEA. The SA operation launched in 2010 and Waggener Zorkin's sentiments are echoed across our organisation, that WE is about us. It's the power and insight that comes from the collective. So WE is about collaboration and team work and the incredible impact and influence we can make together. The word 'we' is in its essence collaborative and refers to a group and not just an individual. That's why you won't see a single manager's office or an assigned desk at WE. We hot desk, move around and interact with different team members daily. This helps keep our minds fresh and our creativity and ideas floating.

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3. What's the response to the rebrand been like so far?

Wilson: People love the quirkiness of the new brand and direction. The logo itself is playful and interactive. The rebrand reflects our total commitment to leading integrated communications and being viewed as a 'serious but fun' contender in the field.

4. Delving further into the changing face of communications: Share some insights from your years of working in communications and PR from both sides of the fence, both in-house and as consulting agency.

Wilson: There are three core areas that separate in-house and agency life from one another.

1. Firstly, agency life allows for varied and dynamic consultancy due to the diversity of business and consultants, whereas with in-house it can become difficult to maintain objectivity. The flip side of this is that you really become specialised and a subject matter expert in-house due to ongoing exposure and interaction with the business and all its stakeholders. The onus is on agencies to completely integrate and immerse themselves into client life, as well as the industry in which they operate, and obtain the most holistic understanding of the broader strategy and priorities up front. Agencies bring a 'fresh pair of eyes' to a brand and offer new perspectives in terms of how brands can better engage with their audiences, while ensuring all communication aligns with the business strategy.
2. Secondly, in-house communication managers are often pulled into other areas of the business that fall out of their remit. This is especially true if the candidate is working across multiple geographies. The relationship the communication lead has with his or her agency is but one responsibility and relationship, there are dozens of others. With in-house life, the 'client' is replicated with various stakeholders across the organisation. From this perspective, the perceived difference between agency and in-house belie a core commonality. It's a fallacy that in-house is better than agency and vice versa. It's what works for the individual and the business. Agency life offers a dynamic and diverse career, often across a broad portfolio of completely different brands. This exposure and experience is priceless. In-house offers the opportunity to really get under the skin of a brand, and often one that you've admired from afar and have the opportunity to really get into and understand. And, if you're really lucky, the opportunity to be at the forefront of change and influence in your chosen industry.
3. Finally, the communications landscape has evolved on both sides of the fence, specifically over the last decade. The biggest reason behind this is the total entrenchment of digital and 24/7 media. Expertise now resides on both sides of the fence and agencies are becoming increasingly pressured to prove their value-add and offering. These agencies clearly exist, but no agency can afford to sit on its laurels. Reinvention and purpose are key. Also, in-house communications leads are expected to do 'more with less.' The days of enormous retainers and budgets are largely over. In-house and agency alike are increasingly required to be creative and impactful with reduced or limited marketing spend. Ultimately, whether you work in-house or at an agency, the communication goals are the same - to tell a brand's story and to drive engagement and conversation with your target audience.

5. Tell us how agencies are evolving as a result of integrated communications.

Wilson: Although 'integrated communications' has fast become a cliché, there are very few agencies that genuinely offer an integrated service. It's a given that digital and traditional communications need to be offered, however the broader remit of marketing services, including internal communication, media buying, placement and through-the-line advertising are required. This is where strategic and solid partnerships become so essential. Clients are increasingly looking for a holistic offering from their agency partners. Although there remains a need for specialised services, even the most specialised of agencies are starting to diversify their offerings. PR agencies like WE are redefining ourselves as 'systems integrators', who specialise in creating an understanding between a brand and its audiences and are able to manage this across advertising, marketing, digital and traditional. Most importantly, agencies that are able to tangibly showcase return on investment, whether this be through sales, leads or proven adoption, will stand head and shoulders above their competitors.

6. To clarify then, what's the difference between having an internal PR/communications team and briefing an external agency?

Wilson: The core difference between the two is that the internal team is likely to have a better understanding of their own business. However, internal teams often rely on external consultants to a) consult and coach on the business and its requirements and b) execute on their strategies. Agencies are often experts across a diverse range of skills, including media relations, crisis communication, digital, internal communications and event management. Although these skills can and do exist in-house, there often isn't the capacity to execute internally. Agencies are also constantly talking to the media and developing relationships with influencers, which is often too admin-intensive for an internal team. For an agency like WE, those relationships extend to pan-African media and influencers.

7. Explain your plans for the future in terms of taking WE forward.

Wilson: WE South Africa is going places. We are rapidly expanding in the consumer space, which has been exciting and stimulating for the team, especially in terms of creativity and conceptualisation. WE has talented, dynamic and fun people, core to our business and success. Collaboration and team work across the industry is the name of the game. Our history has prepared us for the next step of our journey, where WE is the intersection of people, brands and technology. Watch this space!

We certainly will watch this space. For more on WE, follow their Twitter account.