Why clients fire: the weird reality

The reasons for this anomaly is probably twofold:
1. Research shows that, as with any relationship, the importance of creativity decreases with time - we tend to build relationships on things other than quick wit or creative ability.
2. When we lose sight of the client's real business, we tend to focus on our own output - so the ads get better, but not necessarily more effective.

The most-cited reasons for ending the relationship are a general feeling of dissatisfaction and the often-heard: "They don't understand our business".

Below is a list of variables that clients considered important in the break up. The consistency of the results across three continents indicates that the data could also be valid for South Africa, which has an industry exhibiting properties of each of the three countries investigated:

Table: Comparative importance of variables responsible for account break up 2

References
1. Lucy L Henke. A longitudinal analysis of the ad agency-client relationship: predictors of an agency switch. Journ Adv Res Mar/Apr 1995.
2. G Durden, T Orsman and PCN Mitchell. Commonalities in the reasons for switching advertising agencies: corroboratory evidence from New Zealand. Int Journ Adv, 1997, 16 (1).