An open letter to big agencies: seize the future
The smaller agencies have been called to rally and evolve, seeing the current climate as an opportunity for growth in a number of areas. But what about the bigger agencies? Is 2020 a year they can achieve business-altering results that are positive? opr CEO Richard Brett argues that this will be a pivotal period for all agencies, particularly the big ones.
I agree with much of Sharon Zeev Poole’s article, An open letter to small agencies. Some things will never be the same again, and this crisis has changed all agencies, big and small.
However, I am also a strong believer that despite the economic fallout of COVID-19 there is, and will be, room for all kinds of agencies: big, small, specialist, those with broad capabilities and earned-led integrated agencies. Even before COVID-19 hit, the communications industry was undergoing rapid change. Our industry is getting more complicated, with more audiences, more channels, more stakeholders and more technologies to navigate to deliver truly effective campaigns.
Having worked at both smaller and several large companies across the world, I believe we can respond well to these changes for two reasons:
My advice to big agencies would be to seize the past. Go back to what you once excelled at. Uncompromisingly great creative work.