by Erna George. Every now and then I cast my mind back to the days when I was a brand manager, and we worked with probably two partner agencies – one handling above-the-line work and the other our below-the-line activities. It was only every now and then that we made use of a specialist, such as a promotions or public relations agency.
Essentially, we would invest a massive amount of time and money to make that impactful television campaign, and all other elements flowed from this.
Fast forward to 2013 and the world has changed. Between social media, PVRs and many other distractions and channels, making that impact has become tougher. And the buzz in the marketing corridors is the need to move (quickly) towards greater collaboration and exchange across agencies.
Today, clients are looking for agency partners that can synergise with other partners. The new exchange is cross-collaboration, and the days of one agency as the only — or the core — partner is over. As an analogy, think back to when Daewoo was selling cars, washing machines and air-conditioners; consumers found it tough to believe one brand could be great at it all. Similarly, it is difficult for clients to believe that one agency can be specialists in every area.