The short answer is yes. But don’t take our word for it. The Diageo procurement officer, Janelle Orozco, says agencies are still necessary for brand success in 2021. She shares a few key observations from her experiences below.
Are agencies necessary? This question is often discussed in boardrooms. Companies feel they could take the work performed by agencies in-house to save money. Does this make the work of an agency less necessary or relevant? Here are 5 reasons why we still need external agencies.
“Brands must navigate multi-channel relevance and reach. This along with intricate challenges resulting from ever more complex online marketing. To do this, they will need access to the best talent.”
5 Reasons Why Brands Still Need Agencies
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Your Brand Needs the Candour of an External Agency.
Good agencies tell you the truth. Sometimes, hearing the candid reality can shock us out of mediocrity. We all have preconceptions and blind spots, even in our marketing. All organisations have purple cows. In other words, agencies are the antidote for “it’s always been done this way”.
That’s why your brand needs an agency. Agencies play the role of the outsider. They can give you truthful insights nobody in your organisation may see. Often, when you’re too close to the problem, an outsider can shine light on an issue. Their fresh perspective can help get you the best solution. For a healthy dose of truth that will revolutionise your marketing, work with an agency who isn’t afraid to confront the truth with you.
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Your Brand Will Benefit from Access to Strong Talent.
Brands must navigate multi-channel relevance and reach. This along with intricate challenges resulting from ever more complex online marketing. To do this, they will need access to the best talent. Think you can recruit all the talent you need? Maybe with time, but not necessarily when you need it.
The benefit of an agency is that they give you instant access to strong talent for unique needs. Do you have time-sensitive campaigns and projects? Having access to a highly qualified professional for your specific needs can make all the difference. You can access skilled staff while you train in-house teams. Or you can hire an agency to free up your team’s time so they can focus on more important tasks.
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You Can Access a Pool of Unrivalled Experience and Skill.
Even if you have an in-house team, an agency will bring something fresh to the table: a wealth of experience and skill. Agencies who work for clients across various sectors, industries, and countries have a breadth of perspective that cannot compare with in-house teams.
They can give you insight into what other brands are doing now. Or help you find solutions with a radical form of candour your brand will find invaluable. Building trust and the environment that fosters that honesty is a key element in the success of a brand-to-agency relationship.
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You Will Get Help Building a Global Brand
According to Orozco, global businesses like Diageo need the experience, networking ability, and consistent local relevance that strong agencies bring. When attempting a campaign that needs to be relevant in a certain locale, yet of an international standard, agencies are a must.
While your team may operate from London, for example, they can hire an agency in the location, say Lesotho. The Lesotho agency can work with your team to produce content that is locally relevant and of global quality. With their help, you can navigate the nuances and cultural contexts in Lesotho to avoid a disaster like the H&M monkey adverts.
Great agencies also have resources, tools, and a network of connections that will prove advantageous for your brand. With access to this networking, your team can work with an agency to produce truly resonating work that speaks to consumer needs and builds brand affinity.
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You’ll Experience the Magic of Teamwork that Makes the Dream Work.
Have you seen the Johnnie Walker campaigns? Diageo achieved these by allowing their marketing teams to co-create alongside the agency, Anomaly. Orozco attests to the success they could not have achieved without such a collaboration.
Their cooperative teamwork with an agency resulted in engaging and iconic content that impacts culture. They produced content that could adapt to different markets, platforms, and media channels. Managing to reframe Johnnie Walker’s brand positioning, their transcendental approach transformed the category.
To find the ascendant success you crave for your brand, you will need an agency too. As a source of strategic, cultural, and commercially competitive advantage, an agency will take your brand further than you could have dreamed. All you need is to find the right agency for y
ou.
Allow us to Pitch to you today and become the secret ingredient to your brand’s success.
Sources: Drum
