MxMIndia

Tag: agencies

  • Having worked on both sides, client and agency, Aniruddha Oka is in the perfect position to give us his point of view.

    The Anchor: 7 ways of building a successful agency-client relationship

    By Aniruddha Oka

     

    #1 Like any business relationship, a successful agency-client relationship stands on the basic pillars of involvement, trust, mutual respect, empathy, freedom and space.

     

    #2 Firstly, for a relationship to be successful it has to be a win-win situation in the long run. And it’s here that the empathy becomes an important factor where one needs to see from other’s window, of course without detriment to one self.

     

    #3 A successful relationship can be built on trust, integrity and an egalitarian platform where both the parties respect and acknowledge the need for each other. This is built only over time, and one needs to invest that.

     

    #4 Getting to know the client’s brands/products/services as much as he/she does, if not better, is essential. Specifically so for industrial/techno products. Get to know their clients and customers, because a different perspective and POV is what clients seek and respect their agency for. And without a deep understanding of client’s customers, an agency cannot provide one. Similarly, getting to know the agency key people as ‘people’ is critical for understanding their unique strengths to harness.

     

    #5 Respect each other’s capabilities and give freedom/space/time to do their best in what they are best at. Understand and appreciate that clients have their internal clients too, and so does the agency.

     

    #6 Be truthful, honest and frank while giving advice, since it helps both, clients and agency, in the long run. I’d rather be remembered for a piece of advice that’s not liked, than one that was not right but just pleased someone.

     

    #7 Meet off-line in a deliberate and planned way to give and take feedback. Encouragement works wonders and does not cost much, but surely goes far beyond.

     

    Aniruddha Oka is Chief Operating Officer, Quadrant Communications.

     

  • What happens when agency heads move to the client's firm? How does life change, and do the switchers miss the agency days?

    From agency maverick to ‘khadoos’ client…

     

    By Shubhangi Mehta

     

    Switching jobs is an avenue for growth. But how does it work when the switch is drastic – such as going from an agency which creates a communication for a brand, to becoming a part of that brand? With increasing numbers of agency heads moving towards the client side, it looks like a trend.

     

    A mix of work and pleasure is what agency life promises an individual. With that also follows a pattern of sleepless nights, tight deadlines and the pressure to impress the client. What happens when one moves to the client side? How does life change, and do the switchers miss the agency days?

     

    We have an ample amount of such examples already in front of us. Rahul Kansal, Sunil Lulla, Ajay Kakar, Abraham Alapatt and Sheran Mehra are some such examples.

     

    Kamal Basu, Head of Marketing, Skoda, who was working with Saatchi & Saatchi is the most recent example of such a move.

     

    On his new role, Mr Basu said, “Moving to the client side is all about trying something new for me. I personally feel that advertising agency and brands work very closely and cannot do without each other hence the changeover is fairly easy as compared to moving from an agency into banking. For me right now, the most important thing is to have the mindset of a student eager to learn new aspects of the business.”

     

    Ajay Kakar, CMO – Financial Services, Aditya Birla Group who has worked in a creative agency environment as well, said, “The grass is always greener on the other side. Having been on both sides of the table, at the agency and client ends, I can now relate and empathize with this sentiment. Throughout my 14+ years experience at the agency side I shared the sentiment of every colleague, ie, ‘Hum kaam karte hain, while clients aish karte hain’. And during my more recent six-odd years at the client end, I can’t deny having heard or felt the sentiment, ‘Yeh agency waale kya jaane, what pressure we face’!”

     

    On the agency side, one is usually thought to be a lot more casual about ideation, creative, deliverables etc and the perspective is that it changes completely when one becomes a client.

     

    Rahul Kansal, CMO, Bennett, Coleman and Co, said, “I moved to the client’s end nine years ago. I had experienced agency life for approximately 20 years and was itching to implement my own ideas rather than just being an advisor. Though the two lives or work culture cannot be compared, yet as a client there is an ownership of the brand which leads to a personal connect.”

     

    Certainly an agency person enjoys agency life. But an invitation to partner a client is a thrilling mandate which might be quite enticing.

     

    Abraham Alapatt said, “After 10 years in the agency business, I was keen to grow into a more complete ‘marketing’ professional (as opposed to remaining a pure advertising man) and when I was offered my first head of Marketing role in 2005 with Reliance Mutual Fund, I took it most eagerly.”

     

    For those in the agency, the universe tends to revolve around advertising and agency imperatives. But as a as a marketer, one comes to understand that advertising and the agency are key cogs in a very large wheel.

     

    Sheran Mehra, Head of Marketing and Corporate Communications at Dhanlaxmi Bank, said, “I had planned my career in such a way that I wanted to move to the client side after working with an agency, since I wanted to play a larger part than just being an advisor for the brand. The agency setup is more informal, and more like a family. Not that here it isn’t like family, but it’s more formal, more of a corporate environment.”

     

    Alapatt further explains, “In terms of effort and pressure, being on the client side is as challenging and difficult, because the line of responsibility and accountability, especially when it comes to ROI, budget accountability etc, is a lot more definitive. If earlier at the agency, I spoke to my clients every morning and then planned my day’s priorities before catching up with my team and then breaking up jobs to meet expectations – now as a client I have to plan my day ahead (based on current business and leadership priorities) and then along with my team, chart out tasks/timelines/deliverables. I also have a lot more information available to help prepare an annual plan, review it regularly, and then make more meaningful contributions to overall marketing and business strategy then when I was on the agency side. Overall it is a lot more organised, planned, systematic, and accountable.”

     

    A client initiates a brief. And his job is not complete till long after the agency hands over its input and output.

     

    The most obvious change after moving to the client side is that one can now plan a day or a schedule and prioritize a lot more, and there are far fewer firefighting situations than when working with an agency. This is probably because ad agency teams (who work with multiple clients) need to constantly re-align their priorities in line with their clients’ changing needs.

     

    Mr Kakar further adds, “Today I feel like the ‘complete man’, because I now have a realistic perspective from both ends. Having been on the agency side I believe that I can be more sensitive to the agency’s needs and constraints. But on the other hand, I am more demanding on what I know is possible. But life in an agency is what I miss… the masti and the laughter in the corridors, the camaraderie, the training sessions, et al.

     

    “As a client we can say that one is responsible for one’s team delivery (besides your own KPIs). These are directly linked to the company’s overall performance targets and plans, and every idea, plan, activity, campaign needs to be very clearly defined and measurable as one is accountable for every rupee spent to the CEO and the board of directors.”

     

    Most of the people who have made a move have stuck to the client side, which seems to indicate that working as a client is more enthralling.

     

    “I am not sure I yet have an answer to which part I enjoy playing more. But I do believe that the agency and client are two sides of the same coin. A marketer’s success depends on his agency partner, just as an agency’s existence depends on its clients. And only when both of them come together in harmony, is there real value in the form of fun, fame and fortune, adds Mr Kakar.

     

    While Mr Alapatt muses, “Looking back, I am glad I made the shift for the growth, learning and opportunities it has afforded me. But I can confidently say that the first 10 years of grounding/experience that I enjoyed with ad agencies like Ogilvy and the exposure to multiple clients/categories has been invaluable to my growth, both personally and professionally.”

     

    The big picture seems to be that the transition from one side to another is a natural evolution and part of the growth process. And this part of the journey as a client can be said to mature one as a person and marketing professional.

     

  • Anil Nair on 6 things to keep in mind when hiring at mid-level in an advertising agency

    The Anchor: 6 things to remember when hiring mid-levels in an agency

    By Anil Nair

     

    I believe that these qualities are required at any level in our profession. While at senior level one would look at few more qualities and at junior there would be some less expectation, but largely these qualities are what I look for in an advertising professional.

     

    #1 Imagination: There has to be an ability to look beyond the obvious. Imagination is not just required for creatives but it’s a requirement for the industry. Our job poses challenges every day and if one is content to follow the prescribed method then there can be no growth. One has to have a rich and interesting imagination to build compelling communication.

     

    #2 Hunger: It is not just hunger to scale to the next level in the hierarchy. There has to be hunger for knowledge, insight and for better work. When a person believes that his appetite is satiated, that’s practically the end of his career. There has to be hunger to take things to the next level in all aspects of life.

     

    #3 Perspective: This is a rare quality among many people today. There is a tendency to follow things as they are given. Being perceptive helps in thinking beyond the obvious which is a requirement for everyone, be it creative, servicing or planning. This will be an important tool to help in growing the business.

     

    #4 Clarity: Whatever the point of view, if one has coherence in thought it will take a mid-level person to greater strengths. They are involved in building a communication platform for the client and there is a need to have logic and clarity in thinking to help the clients do better.

     

    #5 Emotional stability: By this I mean there has to be strength of character and ability to handle situation under duress. There is pressure from the person you report to, people whom you look up to and people who report in to you. I have seen many people crack under pressure and many times good talent become an emotional wreck. Again this is a rare quality and difficult to find in today’s times.

     

    #6 Anticipation skill: In this profession, if you do things now it will only lead to crushing you. You need to keep an eye on the ‘next’ and this can be developed by way of knowledge and interactivity with the industry. This is a complex world with cut-throat competition and the need is for the ability to anticipate and be prepared to face it.

     

    Anil Nair is the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Partner of Law & Kenneth.

  • The so-called old-world creative directors, who have been weaned on TV commercials, will continue to thrive because TV isn't about to die in a hurry in this country. But when it comes to using the digital media for their clients, these TV heroes are zeroes.

    Anil Thakraney: Adland blues – where the ‘uncles’ don’t understand digital & ‘dudes’ don’t know Real India

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    One subject that keeps popping up when I meet senior creative directors from the ad world is the challenge posed by new media. And it’s a bit of a worry for everyone because India, unlike developed nations, is placed on a very interesting media matrix.

     

    On the one hand, we have the so-called old-world creative directors (most of them also chairmen of agencies) who have been weaned on TV commercials. Their entire focus and creativity is concentrated on the tube, they can only think TV (not even print!). And they will continue to thrive for many more years because unlike in the western nations, TV isn’t about to die in a hurry in this country. However, these TV hero ‘uncles’ are zeroes when it comes to using the digital media for their clients, and that’s obviously a big weakness. Their understanding of the opportunities offered by the social media space, for example, is very poor. In fact, both Balki and Piyush haven’t even registered for either Twitter or Facebook, that should give you an idea of their disinterest.

     

    Which is why they rely on the ‘young geeks’ in their offices to figure out the use of the digital media for their clients. The twenty-somethings who live their lives purely in the virtual world. The problem with these nerds, on the other hand, is that they don’t understand the traditional media at all. In fact, drowned in their comps/pads/mobiles 24X7, these techno-wizards are disconnected from reality. Therefore incapable of coming up with ideas that are born out of the nation’s culture and beliefs.

     

    For a Kolaveri sort of viral magic to happen for brands, this twain shall have to meet. Either the senior CDs make sure they spend energies to understand and bond with the digital space. Or, they ensure the bachchas in their agencies spend at least half their waking hours getting to know Real India. There is no third way out.

     

    This chasm is no good for the health of the brands they handle.

     

    ***

     

    PS: A review of Suhel Seth’s book has got the author all worked up. And the feisty man has been busy dissing the article writer, calling him a ‘loser’, ‘unemployed economist’, ‘a lowdown’, etc. Apparently, Seth later deleted the sweet tweets. Here’s the link to the said review. Must-read stuff.

     

     

    http://www.caravanmagazine.in/Story.aspx?Storyid=1189&StoryStyle=FullStory

  • How to cultivate the client – and nourish your business.

    The Anchor: 5 ways to maintain a healthy client-agency relationship

    By Akshar Peerbhoy

     

    #1 No is a simple two-letter word. Learn it, memorize it and say it!

    “No” really is the hardest thing to tell a client, right up there with “goodbye” and “sorry”. However, if you don’t get yourself to say it, the consequences could be much harder to deal with! If you can confidently say, “No” and live by it, your client will actually respect you and the agency, far more than a desperate-to-please yes-man!

     

    #2 Set clear expectations.

    Like marriage, you should always know what you’re getting into when you sign a client on. If you don’t, then set your cards on the table right at the beginning. He might ask you for the moon, but be frank and tell him just how far you are ready to reach out for him.

     

    #3 Under-promise and over-deliver.

    When you sit in the client’s boardroom with the suited lot, don’t be over-eager to display your grey matter and spill all your beans at once. And, don’t promise the afternoon’s deadline. No matter how passionate and eager you may be, it’s always the best strategy to promise him the lamp post and then deliver the stars.

     

    #4 Be his best friend.

    If you can share a drink with your client and talk about anything under the sun, except your work, you are probably going to find your rightful place in his good books as much as at his corner office. Ask him about his pending promotion or tell him where to eat on his next vacation in Hong Kong. He’ll remember to forget your few mishaps and missed deadlines, in time!

     

    #5 Remember the three Vs – Value, Value and Value.

    The ultimate test of any client-agency relationship is always reserved for the end of a contract term. This is the time when the agency folk succumb to excessive nailbiting and nervous breakdowns. The strongest survive, not only because of points 1-4, but also because they have delivered value to the client, time and again. Value beyond savings, free media space and extra ideas. Value as defined by the client. Even if it means being at the meeting 20 minutes earlier each time. Or finding his vendor for him. Do it, it will save you a lot of trouble on D-day!

     

    Akshar Peerbhoy is Director at Maa Communications.