The consultancies remoulding the Melbourne market
The Melbourne creative agency market has undergone a rapid transformation over the last few months, thanks in large part to investment from major business consultancies. Mumbrella’s Abigail Dawson looks at how these new entrants to the market will turn established orders on their head.
The poaching of four of McCann’s top executives by business consultancy Deloitte Digital has sent another shockwave through the Melbourne creative agency scene – and sent the message to established players they need to brace themselves for a challenging 2018.
While Clemenger BBDO has emerged as the undisputed creative leader in the market in recent months, new agency launches and staff poaching from the major business consultancies are threatening to create a marketplace some traditional players will not be able to compete in.
PWC, Deloitte and Accenture have all made moves which will have major implications, just in very different ways.
With respect to the Thinkerbell crew, Abigail, calling an agency a “hot-shop” is something earned, it is not pre-emptive. They may well become one (and I hope they do) but to call them a hot-shop at this stage is disrespectful to the agencies that earnt that moniker. Don’t create a self-fulfilling prophecy lest you shift from being a journo to part of the problem with hype.
Interesting times ahead. Nice snapshot of the market, thanks. In this climate, I’m curious to see how the likes of Leo’s (and other Publicis agencies) go about making a buzz without entering awards. Speaking of which, I think it’s a little harsh on Ogilvy, hot off the success of Smart Plates. That’s their best work in recent years.
An interesting piece, but the waves of change started years ago albeit without the recent fanfare. And Melbourne came out on top.
The quiet achiever Big Red is the best retail agency in Australia, AJF won effectiveness gongs, Cummins and Partners is the leading creative independent, Isobar and DT are the best digital agencies and at their strongest in their home town. Even on the media side, the Mitchell/Dentsu/Aegis powerhouse became the juggernaut it is from down south thanks to Harold. Then you have Clems.
There isn’t even a Sydney team in the AFL GF. Go Tiges!
If the consultancies are going to be so much better at comms, why do they keep employing people from agencies?
Ummm…. To make them better at comms?
This is the story of abject failure of accountants attempting to become management consultants. Now realizing the whole world hates those grifters, they want to be advertising agencies.
What great ads has an accountancy ever made?
Another Agency perhaps you should take some time to understand what a consultancy is. A consultancy is not made up of accountants. It is made up of strategists, user experience designers, technologist, data scientists, human capital experts, creatives etc etc.
I think you will also find than none of these counsultancies want to become advertising agencies…..that is not the point. I would also argue that the current view of advertising agencies isn’t any better than your perceived perception of consultancies and accountants.
A breathtaking lack of awareness by you Abigail of the Melbourne agency scene. Sydney-centric reporting at its finest.
Maybe @State Of Origin should be Mumbrella’s stringer in Melbourne? I am from Sydney and I know the agencies he/she mentioned.
This isn’t only an adjustment to the creative agency landscape.
The consulting firms are making a play for every single aspect of the customer value chain. Agencies specialising in branding, design, CX, UX etc are also fair game. (I’d suggest these players are arguably more useful to a consulting firm as brand owners double down on the importance of customer experience over and above comms and campaigns.)