by Alistair Mokoena (@AlistairMokoena) The bulk of issues experienced in client-agency relationships is not about the work; it is about relationship management. Yet you will hear many people say, “Just sort out the work and the relationship will be fine.” This is not true.
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The Switch: Fortune favours the prepared
by Alistair Mokoena (@AlistairMokoena) There’s nothing better than trust from clients. When they trust your opinion and judgment, they let you decide what great creative looks like. They let you do brave work, and they follow your lead when it comes to proactive work.
The Switch: Less adrenalin, more inspiration
by Alistair Mokoena (@AlistairMokoena) One of the biggest myths that clients believe about creativity is that adrenalin is the secret ingredient behind great work. In other words, they believe that great work is produced when the artist, composer or the writer is under time pressure. This influences the amount of time clients allocate to agencies to respond to briefs.
The Switch: Experience by any other name
by Alistair Mokoena (@AlistairMokoena) It is often said that experience is the best teacher. Some even go as far as saying there’s no substitute for it. I tend to agree; no amount of theory can replace experience. In my view, theory only gets you through the door; experience is what separates the youth from the adults.
The Switch: Towards a yes-yes relationship
by Alistair Mokoena (@AlistairMokoena) What would happen if both clients and agencies were more instinctively inclined to say “yes” instead of “no”? Would clients end up with poor work? Would agencies end up financially ruined? I don’t think so. Saying yes doesn’t make you weak or easy. Saying yes makes you a willing and enabling partner.
The Switch: Marketing truths that have become myths
by Alistair Mokoena (@AlistairMokoena) The marketing function has evolved so much in the last 10 years that what used to be taken as gospel is no longer applicable. Let’s take a look at some of the conventional marketing “truths” that have since become fallacies.
The Switch: Staying on top — the need for planning
by Alistair Mokoena (@AlistairMokoena) Many advertising agencies battle to retain their winning ways following being crowned “agency of the year” after topping creative charts. Why does sustained success seem to elude us? How do other organisations get it right?
The Switch: Get the reference right
by Alistair Mokoena (@AlistairMokoena) The various nationalities, races, languages, class groups, cultures and the subcultures of South Africa all make for a very interesting landscape — the kind of landscape that should be an artist’s paradise. I use the words “should be” instead of “is” because I don’t believe our industry does enough to take full advantage of this diversity.
The Switch: Respect money
by Alistair Mokoena (@AlistairMokoena) The focus of this month’s piece is on the role that money plays in souring good client-agency relationships. Let’s face it, no matter how clear-cut the contractual provisions that deal with money are, money still makes us fight.
The Switch: Passion’s role in advertising
by Alistair Mokoena (@AlistairMokoena) Every agency claims to be a collection of passionate creative souls. Every client claims to be passionate about its brands. Agency-performance contracts stipulate that agencies must show passion for client business, brands and services. But nowhere have I come across an explanation for what it means to be passionate.