The case for independent, locally held agency relationships
According to DPR&Co co-founder and agency principal, Philip Huzzard, the value of local agency ownership is crucial. Here’s why.
It’s a widely known fact that airliners can be pre-programmed to fly, and even land, without the direct input of the on-board flight crew. But would you ever board an aircraft where the person in control has no real skin in the game? Things go wrong in the air that require every ounce of skill and instinct for self-preservation of a superbly trained crew working together to get themselves (and you) safely on the ground. That’s why I’d never leave the gate if not in the hands of real people in the front of the plane.
To draw a comparison between a commercial airline crew and the management of your agency may seem like a stretch, but there’s some truth to the analogy. Any great CMO is deeply and personally invested in the success of the campaigns they commission. They know their career, their ambitions and their future as a marketing leader are all riding on the outcome.
Over my years as an agency leader, I’ve learned that there is simply no substitute for taking the success of our work personally. As one of the people my clients place their trust in to ensure the success of their marketing investment, I feel a deep sense of accountability for the effectiveness of our work.
And if I were a client, I’d demand to know that my agency was as driven to succeed as me. That’s a level of connection that’s difficult to achieve in a relationship with a multi-national agency network.
‘Any great CMO is deeply and personally invested in the success of the campaigns they commission. They know their career, their ambitions and their future as a marketing leader are all riding on the outcome’.
OK, but CMO’s don’t own the company or brand they work on do they Philip? It’s their passion and professional pride that drives them to want to deliver great work. Why would this be any different for people working in a network agency?
The idea people at a global agency come into the office every day to do anything but strive to deliver great work for our clients is just not true.
Your honour, Mr Huzzard is filibustering and hasn’t said anything new besides giving an analogy around piloting a plane — something that an agency is not. I say this as a member of indie-land myself, just leave it be.
Hasn’t the ‘Indy v hold co’ topic been flogged enough? If any senior marketer doesn’t understand the arguments by now, they have been living under a rock.