Flight Centre marketer: Relevancy will beat ‘smart arse creative’ every time
Keith Stanley speaking at this morning’s Mumbrella Travel Marketing Summit
Senior Flight Centre marketer Keith Stanley has insisted the relevancy of advertising will beat “smart arse creative” every time as he outlined the retailer’s developing marketing strategy.
Speaking at Mumbrella’s Travel Marketing Summit in Sydney today, Stanley said Flight Centre was now far more involved in buying media alongside its agency new media agency Ikon.
He said those media companies who can demonstrate added value will get a greater chunk of Flight Centre’s advertising dollars.
Stanley described its direct negotiations with media bosses as a “dramatic change” and denied it has undermined Ikon.
“We have been meeting with the heads of media to say ‘look the world has changed’,” he said. “We are saying we have a rather large budget, we want to spend it, but we want you to show us what value we are getting from it. That is quite a big shift in our approach.”
Stanley said Flight Centre will have a “base line commitment” to channels but will spend additional funds into media who can add value.
“They [media firms] are looking at how they can add value to our spend. We are looking at different ways of using that additional amount of money to focus on different segments and different things,” he said.
“We are talking regularly with the media, which we have never done before, with our agency Ikon.
“That’s quite a dramatic change to how we have done it in the past and what we have found is open arms from all media.
“Obviously they are looking to secure more funds for the future and we are looking at how we can make what we spend more effective.”
Stanley denied the strategy has undermined Ikon, describing the media agency, who won the media account from Carat in December, as a “partner”.
“What Ikon doesn’t know is the operational parts of the business that we could tap into that will be of benefit to a media agency,” he said.
“We are looking at how you partner with a company beyond a press ad or a TV placement because there are heaps of things.
“We are not looking to partner with everyone but with those who can add most value, which is broader than just the media purchase. We are asking ‘who wants to be better partners?”
Asked if there was too much focus on data in marketing, Stanley said it more important to be relevant than to produce creative work.
“Is there anyone in the room who is going to accuse Flight Centre’s advertising of being creative?” he joked.
“At the end of the day if you get the right product and message to the right customer that will beat any smart arse creative any day of the week.
“If I am interested in going to Japan and you are communicating to me about Japan then that’s relevant.
“In the world today there is a plethora of information – too much – so relevance is becoming a lot more important to communications in marketing than ever before.”
Stanley later told Mumbrella: “Creative has a very important part to play but sometimes it is over emphasised.
“I am more a marathon runner than a sprinter, and a lot of creative has high speed for very short space of time. I prefer a marathon because that’s what business is.”
Steve Jones
topics
Advertising
Flight Centre
Ikon
keith Stanley
Marketing
media agencies
Media agency
travel
travel agents
Travel Marketing Summit
Smart arse creative SHOULD be relevant. It shouldn’t a mutually exclusive relationship.
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it’s refreshing hearing about a marketer focussed on results. I have lamented about irrelevant advertising for years but I don’t just blame the agencies. I’ve seen quite a few inexperienced young marketing newbies mesmerised when the creative is pitched to them, forgetting about the objective. “We must differentiate!” yes, but not at the expense of the purpose. I would love to work for Keith!
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you’re right, @Dan. i always buy goods and services based on clever ads, even if they have no relevance to me. that’s why this sanitary napkin is chafing me in these boxer shorts
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@been there before … totally agree – great to hear marketers focusing on true ROI as long as they can measure it.
What I don’t understand is the benefit of clients wanting to be directly involved with media conversations … not that I particularly care though you employ someone to represent your company for a reason – and no doubt renumerate them well to do so. So why be an extra link in the chain?
Are we moving into a world where clients employ agencies (media / creative and PR) though micro manage what they’re employing those ppl to do?
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“We have been meeting with the heads of media to say ‘look the world has changed’,” he said. “We are saying we have a rather large budget, we want to spend it, but we want you to show us what value we are getting from it. That is quite a big shift in our approach.”
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Unless your media agency is fully transparent with the media and understands your objectives not just from a brief by brief perspective but from an overall perspective of what is needed than yes I 100% agree that there should be more clients open to meeting with the media as well.
More often than not media agencies have other agendas not always in the best interest of their client.
This type of relationship with the client / agency and media not only helps produce better ideas, relevance and added value like the article mentions but it also promotes a greater openness and trust between all parties and makes the agency more accountable.
Good on you Keith for re thinking the way you go about it. I think a lot of clients could take a leaf from your book.
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@Sammy
Go back and read what @Dan wrote. The read what you wrote.
Then apologise to @Dan for being rude.
An ad for sanitary napkins isn’t relevant to you if you’re a man, fool.
But a clever, relevant ad for sanitary napkins is going to be better received by the target audience than a crap relevant ad, no?
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Creatives in every agency in Australia strive to do creative work that’s relevant. That’s disruptive and still served exactly at the right time to the right people. That’s why we’re here. That’s what works, drives sales, ROI and wins awards.
Occasionally a bit of creative for the sake of creative creeps in but it’s slapped down fast.
Keith, we see your type of attitude all the time in marketers. Often senior ones. And from a creative’s point of view it’s flat out wrong – we’re not here to be smart arses but to sell your product. You shouldn’t just be seeking relevant work. You should be seeking creative work too.
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I think creative is essencial in any marketing strategy. If it is on TC, Internet or in other channel a succesfull creative idea can boost all the results.
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Tell them you’re funny.
or
Make them laugh and prove you’re funny.
Part of this game is being top of mind – so you can spunk all your cash to be in the relevant places – but the MOST relevant place is in the mind.
You probably won’t get that from a media owner but you might.
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I agree with everything Keith is saying, definitely sounds like Flight Centre is on the way up!
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Yes I think the general consensus here is correct. “Smart Arse” creative + relevance beats either on their own any day of the week.
It’s actually disappointing to hear a senior marketer denounce this kind of creativity. “Smart Arse” creative speaks to “Smart Arse” audiences, and Australia is a country full of cynical, sarcastic individual.
Look at the ads that resonate or remain important over time – there’s a common theme and it isn’t just clever targeting or planning. It’s memorable creative.
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Keith Stanley falls for the well worn false dichotomy – it’s either relevant or it’s smartarse. A moments reflection before speaking can avoid this, and avoid the rest of his talk being tainted by the fallacious beginning.
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