In today’s marketing communications world, there are many new, younger, less experienced managers responsible for interacting with and even directing the agency services provided to advertisers. Then when adding in the relatively recent, increased involvement of procurement professionals with the selection, contracting, compensating and evaluation of agencies, there is a need to clearly spell-out the roles and responsibilities of each party to the client/agency relationship. It is only with that understanding that maximum efficiency and accountability can be achieved, engendering a trusting, long-term, mutually beneficial relationship.
On the following page the reader will find outlined the respective responsibilities of both client and agency under the four major components of any successful marketing communications program:
- Business Review
- Objectives, Strategies and Long-Range Plan
- Creative Concepts and Communications Plan
- The Plan Execution
Whether used for training tool, as a primer or simply an infrequent checklist, Wanamaker Associates believes this is a tool that should be in the hands of everyone involved with engaging and directing agency services.
Agency/Client Roles and Responsibilities
- Business Review
- Objectives, Strategies and Long-Range Plan
- Creative Concepts and Communications Plan
- Execute Plan
Client Requirements
- Consistently shares relevant data and revenue feedback with agency.
- Provides simple and clear picture of business progress in past year.
- Has vision of future of Brand.
- Accurately conveys direction from management and input from staff group.
- Open to challenges from the agency in any area of the business.
- Develop specific, measurable and achievable objectives for Brand and or product offerings.
- Enforces need for single-minded strategy as long-term direction for business—i.e., it should not be subject to judgement changes.
- Elements of service offerings and business development deployment have a central and consistent focus.
- Provides scientific rationale necessary to support strategy.
- Accurately conveys direction of management and input from staff groups.
- Fosters environment that encourages appropriate creative risks and innovation.
- Provides clear, complete and honest feedback.
- Allows sufficient funds for meaningful levels of visibility in each element of marketing mix.
- Agrees to reasonable production schedules.
- Remains open, accessible and fair.
- Facilitates and streamlines approval process.
- Assumes responsibility for delays caused by changes in direction.
- Pays agency invoices in timely manner.
- Mindful of agency needs to make a profit in the business relationship.
- Provides at least an annual two-way review of agency relationship.
Agency Requirements
- Provides reasonable analysis of market dynamics and key “lessons learned.”
- Reviews major promotional moves by competitors and analyzes effect on Brand and category.
- Identifies key areas for improvement in previous year’s plan.
- Proposes business-building projects with the potential to have a major impact on the Brand’s business.
- Outlines key research that may ultimately contribute to growth of Brand’s business.
- Recommended target audience and promotional strategies flow logically from the lessons learned with similar branding clients.
- Elements of long-term communication plan have a central and consistent focus.
- Drafts copy strategy statement that is expressed as simply and succinctly as possible.
- Proposes a meaningful character for Brand.
- Plans reflect experience and involvement of senior agency people.
- Proposed creative concepts have following qualities…
- Clearly on strategy
- Stopping power – a big idea
- Relevance and realism
- Simplicity
- A distinctive and appealing personality
- Communications and media plans emphasize achievement of objectives.
- Alternatives analyzed in light of both quantitative and qualitative factors.
- Develop new ways of doing things.
- High standard of accuracy, thoroughness and consistency.
- Work completed on time.
- Work completed within budget.
- Careful custodians of client budgets.
- Follows projects through necessary involvement of client staff groups.
- Accurate and timely communication – contact reports, financial/budget updates.
- Reacts quickly to find solutions to problems.