Restaurateurs have long known the value of fewer choices on a menu. In his 1970 book Future Shock, author and businessman Alvin Toffler coined the phrase 'overchoice', or choice overload of the cognitive process, in which people have a difficult time making a decision when faced with many options.
With new technology and digital platforms on the rise, the marketer’s menu is growing, giving rise to what American psychologist Professor Barry Schwartz, calls 'choice paralysis'.
This is costly and time consuming in an industry that requires agility. Choosing between speciality agencies and multi-disciplinary ones, allocating budget for the various platforms available and manoeuvring between the overlap of services on offer, stresses both individuals and budgets.
Simplicity, it seems, should be on the menu right now. In asking 207 marketing decision makers across the country what marketers want now, Agency Scope South Africa 2019/20 noted that 52.9% of interviewees highlighted a preference for working with an integrated agency.
By definition, the integrated agency is one the offers advertising, digital, BTL, media, events, PR and other disciplines, and 69.9% of South African marketers have a lead agency that coordinates all communications services – almost on a par with the UK at 74%, but far from the global average of 48.8%.
However, specialist agencies – particularly in the digital arena – are still important options for marketers, especially when they offer a combination of marketing technology (martech) solutions. Because martech is a relatively new sector and changing rapidly, it can be overwhelming for marketers, who need the knowledge and guidance of specialists to implement the right options at the right time.
This suggests to me again that marketers are looking for simple efficiency, that is being able to trust their lead agency to take control of what has become a cluttered ecosystem.
Trust is a key ingredient sought by marketers from agencies that provide creativity, knowledge strategy and professionalism. Marketers interviewed for Agency Scope highlighted creativity as the most vital ingredient, and the differentiator from competitors that enabled them to reach more consumers.
Strategic planning abilities came second on their wish list, followed by the agency’s team. Interestingly, while creativity is the cherry on top, awards won by the agency features last on the marketer’s agenda.
To be an agency of choice, marketers also want all of this and a fair dose of agility. This doesn’t just mean speed, but innovation and the ability to be flexible when required. As we have become used to the immediacy of digital and online transactions and opportunities, the need for rapid response is no longer a nice to have but a business imperative.
With big data and analytics shedding light on what may once have been hidden returns on investment, marketers are looking for agencies that can provide the value-in-numbers that their clients want to see.
So, are you ready to dispense of the 'tasty' choices and produce a healthier menu that delivers, but doesn’t overwhelm? It looks to me like those who offer the solid options rather than the plentiful ones will ultimately win.
Agency Scope is a study of the creative and media agency landscape in South Africa. It is a biennial study conducted by Scopen Africa which is part of the Scopen Global group that is active in 12 countries. Our universe of analysis in 2019/2020 in South Africa consisted of 239 face-to-face interviews with the highest-level decision makers in marketing.
