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How marketers are adapting to specialisation
Getting the selection of agencies right will be paramount to success
As the number of specialised services required by marketers and brands keep rising along with new platforms that deliver target audiences, the days of the single-stop agency may well be over. If they are indeed over, what will the new-era marketing department look like?
In recent years we’ve seen a growth in marketers’ need to engage with a plethora of new platforms, which is likely to bring with it a necessary increase in the size of marketing departments, particularly those in-house operations in large organisations in the banking and fast-moving consumer goods sectors, where a vast array of requirements must be met.
To manage all this will require the support of specialist skills of a variety of agencies. Right now, the “silver bullet” agency that houses the sheer number of skills and expertise doesn’t exist. The pressure on marketers is increasing, not only because they must manage a plethora of different agencies, but they have to do so while managing the various needs of their own business clients.
This trend has put the spotlight firmly on agency selection, as the appointment of the most appropriate specialist partners becomes increasingly important. It’s no longer a case of “we need a digital agency”, but rather “we need an agency with these particular skills”, across the areas of performance, lead generation, content development and other expertise marketers need to provide to the business.
Then, as the list of required skills grows, a marketer who doesn’t have a complete understanding of both needs and potential solutions available will be unable to properly manage an agency. The layers of complexity are becoming more apparent and putting pressure on marketers, particularly in terms of time.
For quality results, specific needs will have to be defined and agencies with the precise skills must be sought. Marketers will require guidance on how to work with the business and agencies to get the briefs right. It’s going to mean a whole lot of upskilling — and additional people.
Over the past few years it has seemed as though marketing departments have been shrinking as a result of budgets, the economy or a shortage of skills. Now the pressure is on to repopulate these departments with the expertise that fulfil the needs of the business and the level of specialisation required.
This applies not only to marketing departments in large companies but also to smaller companies, which often only have two or three people in their marketing departments and who must now be more trend-savvy and spend more time on defining all aspects of projects.
It’s not going to be easy. Marketers will need assistance with identifying suitable partners in each sector, all of which will be able to work in a collaborative way so that the marketer isn’t required to spend masses of time on every project.
Getting the selection of agencies right will be paramount to success — and the growth of marketing departments looks set to be driven by ever-increasing choices and ever-fragmenting communication channels.
You can read this online here
Global trends show brands value collaborative agencies
Scopen President and CEO César Vacchiano has highlighted global trends in marketing and advertising from the Agency Scope studies. Vacchiano was recently in Johannesburg to present an IAS Masterclass.
Working with partners
Among the top trends noted by Vacchiano is that clients are working with an increased number of partners, as post-Covid marketing teams are smaller and the communications industry more complex with more options and platforms.
“Clients need expert assistance across more areas, and it is difficult to find one agency with expertise in every area,” he says. “Effective collaboration is becoming a challenge. In South Africa, many clients select a lead agency to help coordinate the process.
Another trend is the increasing importance of data. “Markets have had to deal with the after-effects of Covid, along with political changes and wars, making it difficult for CMOs to anticipate changes,” says Vacchiano. “We’re living in a permacrisis, an extended period of instability and insecurity. It’s a huge challenge, and CMOs want to understand trends, and rely on data around their competitors and the market.”
Here, McDowell notes that in a data-dense era, marketers are also looking for data focused on consumers and the consumer journey. “Understanding the consumer and being able to engage with them has become critical, but while many marketers have access to this data, not all know how to use it effectively yet.
“Martech is becoming increasingly important with the huge amount of data available, adding to the need for new learning.”
The importance of experience
Another vital element in the mix now is the importance of clients having senior and well prepared teams within their agencies. Says Vacchiano: “Clients realised that through Covid, they were often dealing with junior agency staff members, likely due to marketers putting pressure on agency fees.
“Now, clients want more involvement from an agency’s leadership team. It’s also clear that the independent agencies appear to deliver on access to leadership better than the large network agencies, which may be important for larger agencies to note.”
Saving the biggest – and most rapidly changing arena – for last, Vacchiano and McDowell agree that the pandemic accelerated the growth and implementation of digital, and the importance of investing in this sector.
“Agency Scope studies show that agencies globally did a better job than marketers at investing in digital capabilities and the hiring digital talent or the acquisition of digital agencies,” Vacchiano asserts.
McDowell adds that agencies as a whole are in a better position when it comes to digital skills and Martech than they were three years ago. '
“Marketers are lagging and relying on agencies to provide the expertise in this area,” she says. “In South Africa, it’s clear that those agencies who are able to collaborate with other digital agencies or set up in-house facilities are becoming far more attractive to the client.”
These top five trends have shaken up marketing and agency relationships overseas, and the same is already being seen and felt in South Africa, says McDowell. “We look forward to our researchers’ data coming in as Agency Scope SA 2023-2024 makes headway from May.”
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Why South African agencies and marketers should embrace media assurance auditing
Budgets are tight, and rumours of a recession circulating. Which, of course, means marketing, media and advertising budgets will come under pressure.
To reassure clients their money is being well spent, their campaigns are effective and their return on investment is positive, media assurance auditing will play an increasingly important role.
A recent partnership between South Africa’s Independent Agency Search and Selection Company and Eley Consulting in the UK offers campaign effectiveness analysis by facilitating independent scrutiny of media expenditure. The system is designed to review all areas of a brand’s expenditure across all platforms. Ultimately, it helps markets and media agencies to assess best practice, good governance and compliance.
Eley consultant Richard Edwards says it is difficult to generalise about agency capabilities in a market or region. “As far as their specific knowledge of media audits is concerned, it is fair to say that South African agencies are not as accustomed to being audited as agencies in other regions – particularly Europe, where media auditing is most prevalent,” he says.
“However, it could also be argued that this is a positive thing – agency/auditor relations have become fairly combative in many markets, with big clients focusing heavily on price and pitching their business on a regular basis, aided (some would say egged on) by the big audit firms,” he adds.
Edwards believes South African agencies are less suspicious of auditors and more open to developing a constructive relationship with them.
“At Eley+ we would argue that this suits our style of auditing – we are keen to engage with agencies in three-way partnerships along with their clients and, wherever possible, add genuine value through the entire media cycle, from strategy to buying, rather than simply tick boxes,” he explains.
“This may well be one reason why the larger audit firms have never made real inroads into the South African market – they simply don’t have the patience to engage with a market in which client/agency relationships are often close and long-standing, and auditors need to take time to understand their clients business and work out how they can offer constructive services that benefit all parties.”
Pace of change
Edwards admits media audits have struggled to keep up with the pace of change. “Media auditing is still heavily wedded to an analogue and TV-centric media world and auditors have struggled to develop products that genuinely help clients optimise their digital media investments,” he says.
“Media auditor’s service offerings are dominated by pitches these days – clients pitch their business, elicit media guarantees from their agency and then measure these over (typically) a three year period. This means that media price and quality is generally managed on a year-on-year tracking basis – you compare the current year to a baseline and produce a savings number that is almost exclusively designed to deliver the requirements of big procurement departments (and drive their bonuses). This is a problem for auditors because, while it is relatively easy to measure TV price YoY, it is much more difficult to do so in a fragmented, programmatic digital world. Hence, a lot of dodgy media maths!”
Still, as a boutique consultancy, Eley+ recommends more complex products to clients, particularly in the digital space. “We believe that this approach, which usually appeals more to media and marketing teams than procurement specialists, ultimately drives greater return on media investment,” Edwards says.
In terms of frequency, those running audits for the first time should consider undertaking them on a half-yearly basis for the first year, moving to annual audits after that. “We would argue that audit timing is the most important factor – our audits work best when they are timed to feed into the next year’s planning process – hence, a client might ask us to look at an 18-month period up until the half year (June) with a report delivered in early September that is designed as one of the kick off meetings for the next year’s planning process.”
The pitfalls
Edwards underscores the major pitfalls of not having an audit framework in place. “If you don’t measure it then you can’t control it. Simple. And no one should be marking their own homework – agencies will always give themselves top marks when producing PCRs for their clients,” he explains. “It is also fair to say that agency teams are concerned with the future – new ideas, the future planning process etc… auditors are much better placed to carefully and methodically analyse previous campaigns in order to generate learnings that can be fed into the planning process.”
The biggest risk in the digital space is the reduction in the share of media spend focussed purely on working media, Edwards says. “There are so many different agencies, tech platforms etc.. between client and media owner these days, all of whom are taking their cut, that you can get to a ridiculous situation where less than half (50%) of total budget is actually spent on working media (eyeballs). For reference, circa 90% of media budget is spent on eyeballs when you put your money into linear TV (in any market).”
On the brand side of the equation, businesses often use auditors to help them find a media agency – usually via a formal pitch. “Once they have chosen an agency they will then typically bring the auditor in to assess the efficacy of the agency’s work. The auditor will typically be heavily involved in ensuring that the client’s contract with their agency is comprehensive and fit for purpose,” says Edwards, adding that the total media audit market is growing, which suggests that brands are generally more likely to use auditors these days than they ever have been. Again, this differs by region/market.
Read this article online here
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#Masterclass Notes
What are marketers looking for in this time of accelerated change? With experience on the agency side earlier in her career and across Africa first at an agency and then as a marketing professional, Sithabile Maphumulo, Renault South Africa vice president of communications, was the ideal person to comment and share insights on this topic at the first masterclass of 2023.
How does the market look in 2023?
The vehicle market has been quite robust in recent times, primarily because owning a vehicle in SA is a necessity due to the lack of public transport; in other markets, owning a vehicle could be seen as a luxury. Growth is expected to continue as the automotive industry becomes more and more innovative, such as building an insurance product cost into the ownership of a new car.
Brand purpose has become more and more important, and this is also expected to increase further.
How can agencies help clients be even more effective in 2023?
Understanding the needs of marketing in terms of driving sales harder is one way that an agency can help clients be more effective. At the same time, agencies need to develop knowledge of the competitors; understand the long-term strategy of the business at hand while setting milestones to assess the effectiveness of the strategy and communications that accompany it; and understand how to lift brand sentiment and creat work that will help the brand achieve that.
Trust is a critical success factor in a client-agency relationship and that includes the ability to push boundaries and step out of comfort zones. Clients look for agencies which won’t be “yes people” but will rather lead clients into new areas or possibilities that will be relevant for their brands and help them to grow.
How can agencies work better/collaborate with each other across a client’s marketing ecosystem?
This was an interesting discussion. Collaboration among agencies could be likened to working in a case-study group during an executive education programme. How does a group let each expert in their respective field shine, similarly with agencies in a typical marketing ecosystem?
First, and most importantly, client responsibility is to provide a clear brief with clear deliverables for each agency in the system. Muddling up those work streams can cause endless problems and frictions among the agencies, which results in poor delivery for the client.
To brief all of the agencies together at the outset of the project or campaign is another critical success factor; don’t only bring in the BTL or social media agency at the last minute once the big idea has been cracked. We all know that a big idea can come from anywhere and that it’s certainly not the domain of the ATL or lead agency only.
Perhaps, when the agencies come back with their various solutions, it’s best for the client to listen to each of their agencies one by one, instead of all together. That seems like best practice in this situation. Trust, again, is an important part of this collaborative process.
Tips during pitching — “inside a review”
When clients are reviewing agencies in a competitive pitch situation, there are some important aspects that clients consider and which will tip the balance for an agency to be selected:
Shared values
Governance
Demonstration of abilities, rather than ‘hard sell’
Chemistry, and
The quality of the team who will work directly on the client’s business, as well as the agency’s overall reputation.
Taking the pain out of an account handover
The pitch is over, a new agency has been appointed and the incumbent agency has to hand over – this is when the going can get tough.
When a client chooses a new agency, it’s usually a trying time for the previous one. The new firm is looking to get started as quickly as possible, and the client has likely got a string of briefs to give the winning agency. In short, it’s the easiest time for things to go wrong, unless all participants follow best practice from day one.
The process requires a lot of thought, time and effort to get right, and one misstep can result in an outgoing agency being contacted for months after the handover with requests about previous work. To save all parties time and angst, a single point of contact is crucial to ensure previous work is available and to be able to answer everything the incoming team may ask.
All four parties should ideally meet at the client’s office – suggesting otherwise is not only unprofessional but also bad practice. The two agencies will be more comfortable outside of each other’s space.
These meetings are best conducted in person, and not online. Teams, WhatsApp, e-mail, WeTransfer – regardless of how popular – do not provide the security required by most companies exchanging data or the assurance that all the data arrives in order.
Data privacy and compliance requirements must be met too. Using a variety of online platforms cannot guarantee that, especially as every item must be copied twice. That’s why we recommend saving all the handover documents onto a hard drive for the client and then duplicating it for the new agency.
At the in-person meeting, the outgoing agency’s printed list describing everything that can be found on the hard drive can be checked. This means the client or the new agency, or both, will be able to ask questions immediately if something sounds amiss. Naming conventions, date and time indications and anything else that makes finding work from a few years ago easy should be used.
If this sounds pedantic, it is – and for good reason. If there are outstanding items, the outgoing agency will note and then copy the required documents and re-save them to both hard drives. But this rarely happens, and if the preparation has been done properly before the meeting, what sounds like an ordeal should actually be painless.
An independent party is able to facilitate a painless process, reduce any potential animosity or unpleasantness and, worst of all, delays.
So, with hard drives in hand, the responsibility becomes that of the client and the new agency to make time to check that they can pick up the work and run with it as quickly as possible. The history contained on the hard drives will show how the account was run and what work the client had in the past, often including years relating to specific brands.
With access to this in one place and a touchpoint to contact with queries, the new agency is able to start work with speed and the original agency need not spend unnecessary time on a previous client.
Though a handover means a client lost for one party and one gained for another, it does not have to be an unpleasant, time-consuming experience.
Read this online here
Agency Scope SA: Divulging what marketers really think
With the fieldwork for Agency Scope South Africa 2023/2024 set to make tracks in May, the biennial study, which ultimately divulges what marketers really think, takes some interesting twists and turns as the scope of the communications sectors adapts to the pandemic, technology and global developments.
Scopen president and CEO César Vacchiano notes that an increased number of respondents will be interviewed this time around, with sights set on 220 client companies, compared to the 158 in 2021.
In-depth info on sustainability and diversity, equality and inclusion (DEI)
“There will also be more interviews with marketers including – importantly – companies from the new economy,” he says. “Look out for the dot coms, startups and digital platforms.”
Participants now also include chief technology officers (CTOs), chief innovation officers (CIOs), heads of digital companies, and those working in the all-important customer experience sector.
“Due to their importance globally, we’ll be getting in-depth info on sustainability and diversity, equality and inclusion (DEI) to add the South African market viewpoint to our worldwide knowledge bank,” Vacchiano says.
Digging deep into digital
Data will include digital platforms and digital tools and how marketers work with them.
“So, this focuses on how they collaborate with Google, Meta, marketplaces, Twitter, TikTok and other new communication options,” he says.
He adds that that data from marketing tools, marketing automation and personalisation such as SalesForce, Adobe Selligent Marketing Cloud and Microsoft will also form part of the research, analysis and knowledge shared in Agency Scope 2023/2024.
“All those tools require investment,” Vacchiano asserts, “so working with the right partners that have the appropriate profiles who understand these tools for implementation by brands is important.
“We’ve noted that some who purchase these tools to better compete often don't know what to do with them, and how to use them for their marketing objectives. So, agencies that can assist with the tools, digital strategies and use of platforms are the ones more sought after now.”
Groups or independents?
Large holding group versus the independent agency
Johanna McDowell, CEO of the Independent Agency Search & Selection Company (IAS) and Scopen partner says research for the next Agency Scope will also delve into the value of working with a large holding group versus the independent agency.
“The responses we’re looking for include what clients find most valuable for their needs, and what the strengths, weaknesses, and benefits are with a marketer’s choice of independent or group agencies,” McDowell notes.
Vacchiano promises a deeper research and therefore analysis on the various digital verticals related to Martech, including CRM, mobile and apps, e-commerce platforms, the Metaverse, and Web3.
“We want to explore which of these are important for clients and, of course, which they are they investing in - if any,” he says.
“The value for our subscribers will centre around what type of companies the C-suites and business leaders in our industries are working with and how they work with them. Equally important will be how they evaluate these new disciplines.”
About that captivating talent...
McDowell says another area growing rapidly in importance is how respondents value a good professional team.
“Does the talent employed by a specific agency make a difference? Which agencies have highly recognised leadership and does this influence the agency selection process?
“Sometimes individuals captivate a client due to their strategic vision, their ideas and innovation, or – these days – their understanding of digital and MarTech. These individuals can help transform brands and businesses and we’d like to hear their value from the horse’s mouth.”
With the Agency Scope researchers raring to go, Vacchiano says his hope is that this information gives participants some early insight into what they’ll be required to respond to.
“Respondents’ lived experience has changed over the past few years, and Agency Scope relies on this valuable insight to add the South African perspective to our depth of knowledge.”
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Agency Scope SA: Divulging what marketers really think
With the fieldwork for Agency Scope South Africa 2023/2024 set to make tracks in May, the biennial study, which ultimately divulges what marketers really think, takes some interesting twists and turns as the scope of the communications sectors adapts to the pandemic, technology and global developments.
Scopen president and CEO César Vacchiano notes that an increased number of respondents will be interviewed this time around, with sights set on 220 client companies, compared to the 158 in 2021.
In-depth info on sustainability and diversity, equality and inclusion (DEI)
“There will also be more interviews with marketers including – importantly – companies from the new economy,” he says. “Look out for the dot coms, startups and digital platforms.”
Participants now also include chief technology officers (CTOs), chief innovation officers (CIOs), heads of digital companies, and those working in the all-important customer experience sector.
“Due to their importance globally, we’ll be getting in-depth info on sustainability and diversity, equality and inclusion (DEI) to add the South African market viewpoint to our worldwide knowledge bank,” Vacchiano says.
Digging deep into digital
Data will include digital platforms and digital tools and how marketers work with them.
“So, this focuses on how they collaborate with Google, Meta, marketplaces, Twitter, TikTok and other new communication options,” he says.
He adds that that data from marketing tools, marketing automation and personalisation such as SalesForce, Adobe Selligent Marketing Cloud and Microsoft will also form part of the research, analysis and knowledge shared in Agency Scope 2023/2024.
“All those tools require investment,” Vacchiano asserts, “so working with the right partners that have the appropriate profiles who understand these tools for implementation by brands is important.
“We’ve noted that some who purchase these tools to better compete often don't know what to do with them, and how to use them for their marketing objectives. So, agencies that can assist with the tools, digital strategies and use of platforms are the ones more sought after now.”
Groups or independents?
Large holding group versus the independent agency
Johanna McDowell, CEO of the Independent Agency Search & Selection Company (IAS) and Scopen partner says research for the next Agency Scope will also delve into the value of working with a large holding group versus the independent agency.
“The responses we’re looking for include what clients find most valuable for their needs, and what the strengths, weaknesses, and benefits are with a marketer’s choice of independent or group agencies,” McDowell notes.
Vacchiano promises a deeper research and therefore analysis on the various digital verticals related to Martech, including CRM, mobile and apps, e-commerce platforms, the Metaverse, and Web3.
“We want to explore which of these are important for clients and, of course, which they are they investing in - if any,” he says.
“The value for our subscribers will centre around what type of companies the C-suites and business leaders in our industries are working with and how they work with them. Equally important will be how they evaluate these new disciplines.”
About that captivating talent...
McDowell says another area growing rapidly in importance is how respondents value a good professional team.
“Does the talent employed by a specific agency make a difference? Which agencies have highly recognised leadership and does this influence the agency selection process?
“Sometimes individuals captivate a client due to their strategic vision, their ideas and innovation, or – these days – their understanding of digital and MarTech. These individuals can help transform brands and businesses and we’d like to hear their value from the horse’s mouth.”
With the Agency Scope researchers raring to go, Vacchiano says his hope is that this information gives participants some early insight into what they’ll be required to respond to.
“Respondents’ lived experience has changed over the past few years, and Agency Scope relies on this valuable insight to add the South African perspective to our depth of knowledge.”
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Making friends with data
Fear of job losses and big egos stand in the way of the level of collaboration needed in the digital age
It’s not often those in the advertising and marketing industry are blunt and critical. It’s a sector partly built on smoke, mirrors, spin, and client retention at all costs. And so, when a little honesty is handed down, it’s not only refreshing but should be taken seriously.
César Vacchiano, president and CEO of Scopen, a global industry research company with a strong footprint in South Africa, believes that for media and advertising agencies to flourish in the digital age, they need to increase their co-operation and ability to source and manage data.
What’s preventing more collaboration, he says, is a fear of downsizing and consequent job loss; not knowing how to rationalise inevitable duplication; and the big egos preventing the process.
Vacchiano has been in South Africa ahead of work on the Agency Scope survey that is published every two years after meetings with decisionmakers across marketing, communications and advertising — from the largest- to the smallest-spending agencies in South Africa.
Given the importance placed on data, the study will also incorporate leaders in digital, technology and innovation.
Vacchiano says brands’ relationships with data have changed irrevocably.
“What marketers realised after the pandemic and various other global shifts is that it’s difficult to make decisions, and what they need is data that shows them trends and what is happening with consumers to engage with and get closer to them. They need to understand all the media and media channels, competitors, and new generations and new targets.”
His argument is that data is evident across the entire media value chain but needs to be used more effectively across every facet of the marketing process, from planning and buying to idea development and content creation.
A perennial problem — and more pronounced in South Africa — is not just the data overload factor but having the right people to interpret it meaningfully.
Vacchiano concedes it’s a problem. “There is often too much data to go through and read so agencies need people within their teams to condense and extract points of interest. They want extracts with key findings, and they are realising how important it is to work with partners who use that data to find insights and build solid strategies that will produce big ideas.”
And then, a view that is likely to upset ad agency studios, he says: “And that’s why, after the pandemic, strategists have become even more important at times than creatives. And what is making the difference now when selecting agencies and evaluating their services is their strategic planning capabilities. What is needed first is to identify insights that will create solid strategies and with those solid strategies it’s easier to build and create big ideas.”
Vacchiano says he is, however, starting to see better integration between the creative and strategic sides in agencies.
“It’s changing very fast because more and more clients want to go for ideas that are based on data and solid strategies. It’s difficult to find clients that go for ideas that are just creative concepts on their own. They want to reinforce those ideas with data.”
And complicating the equation is the rapid introduction and growth of artificial intelligence (AI) and chatbots and their impact on content.
Vacchiano isn’t particularly worried. “The most effective ideas are those that include emotion in the campaign, and I think machines can learn in future, but I think now it’s very unlikely that AI will create campaigns that resonate in peoples’ hearts — that make them cry and smile and really bring their feelings to the brand.”
While agencies need to rethink their operating approach to become more data led, Vacchiano isn’t for one moment writing them off. “What happened during the pandemic is that clients realised with all the agencies they were working with, the ones that used data in their strategies to get through the pandemic to reinforce their positions in tough times made great partners. The role of agencies was reinforced.
Furthermore, clients have also realised how important it is to deal with the leadership of the agencies and not the juniors and account directors who do not necessarily have the level of expertise and holistic vision you should find in agencies. All of this has made clients realise they need to work with agencies and pay these experts more to produce valuable work.
So there has been a rediscovery of the talent that exists in agencies, but also a recognition that the talent needs to be used effectively with interaction at the right level. This will inevitably help agencies to elevate their position within client ranks.
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Scopen: Digital marketing in Brazil gets the chunk of the budget
Unpacking SA's marketing economy
Twice a year the Worldwide AdForum Summit brings together search and agency management consultants. In April 2023 this select group will be meeting in New York for AdForum's NYC Summit. AdForum's managing director Carol Mason takes the opportunity to hear from these key influencers about the marketing economy in their countries and chatted to Johanna McDowell, founder and CEO of the Agency Search and Selection company about the marketing economy in South Africa.
What are the biggest challenges and, therefore opportunities, for brands in South Africa?
1. Keeping up with global trends and needs so that brands remain competitive.
2. Aligning spend with marketing objectives – often those objectives are in excess of what the budget that is allocated can deliver. This results in pressure on the agency partners to cut corners to deliver results.
3. Fragmentation of marketing channels – reaching consumers in a way that will drive purchase and repeat purchase. Brands are not certain where to spend their money first.
4. Building brand value v driving sales – a continuous dilemma for brands during tough economic times.
Looking at media consumption, what formats or channels would you say are most prevalent in the country?
1. Television is still dominant but the way in which consumers access their programmes has changed.
2. Tracking of the way in which television advertising is consumed is a big pre-occupation currently as consumers are accessing via different devices. Streaming of various channels has posed new challenges – this is particularly important when managing ad spend on TV.
3. Outdoor advertising is big in South Africa due to our rural communities and size of the country.
4. Radio is a vital medium for consumers here as there are many different languages and the country is geographically spread out.
5. Printed magazines and newspapers are dying or have died. Digital media is thriving.
6. Digital experiential spend is also a new frontier for advertisers.
Getting a feel for African brand heritage, new entrants and customer loyalty, how difficult is it for a non-South African brand to enter the country and win market share?
1. South Africans love global brands and are always very excited when a new global brand enters the market.
2. Global brands are often able to spend more than their local counterparts due to the currency differences e.g. the dollar stronger is stronger than the rand – buys more media space etc.
3. South Africans generally are very brand conscious and will spend more on a well-known brand in preference to cheap counterfeit varieties.
4. Local South African brands are very successful too of course, such as Nando’s which is now a global brand and whose brand marketing is managed from South Africa.
5. South African food brands are also very popular and successful locally.
What is your best advice to an agency shortlisted for a pitch? What makes for a winning proposition in South Africa?
1. Understanding the different cultures in South Africa is an essential ingredient for an agency to be successful in a pitch.
2. Reading the room – understanding the diversity within a client marketing team and ensuring that the agency team is even more diverse both from a racial and gender perspective is essential.
3. Demonstrating successful delivery among existing clients through strong case studies is very important as CMOs need to know that an agency can and will deliver.
4. Then there are the obvious tips:
- The team presenting must be the team that will be on the business should the agency win. (Clients absolutely hate it when agencies do not do this.)
- Read the brief, present what is requested then show the client prospect what else is possible.
- Respect the budget provided but again show what else could be possible once you have delivered on the brief.
Which campaign / activation / promotion caught your eye in 2022 and why?
1. Fast delivery campaigns have been very eyeeye-catching and novel here and the large stores – mainly food chains – continue to develop and deliver these.
2. These are fully integrated campaigns that focus on the app for ordering and delivery and then on the ways in which delivery can be done. It’s been a huge growth area in the e-commerce space in South Africa in the past 12 months.
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Media assurance: Data-based map of how your budget works for you
The vital role of media assurance for marketers and agencies examining 2022 expenditure and planning their 2023/2024 expenditure cannot be overstated.
This is the word from Johanna McDowell, CEO of the Independent Agency Search & Selection Company (IAS) and SCOPEN partner; and global media and marketing consultancy, Eley Consulting’s Richard Edwards, whose partnership in media assurance auditing responds to the acronym on every CMO’s mind: ROI.
“With over 70% of corporates financial year starting on 1 March, strategies and expenditure will be top of mind as they head back to work in January,” says McDowell.
“By applying in-depth, independent media analysis, CMOs can see precisely how and where they spent their money, and how efficient that spend proved to be. Obviously, fiscal efficiency is essential right now, and following a blueprint that shows quantifiable ROI can set a marketer up for better savings and greater outcomes.”
Where data makes the difference
Media assurance auditing involves review of every area of a media process across all platforms to provide marketers and media agencies with robust data to see which area is aligned with best practice.
“The data gleaned from this process provides the CMO with a GPS, as if it were, mapping the route taken and the route ahead, complete with warning and potential detours,” Edwards notes. “We review the entire landscape of a media process across all platforms to help marketers and media agencies see which areas are aligned with desired outcomes.
By conducting a series of interviews and collecting media data and supporting documents from a client over a 2-4 week period, the IAS and Eley Consulting are able to maintain regular analysis over a number of campaigns. “It’s the analysis of this data that can direct a client to make changes in their budget with agility, taking advantage of what is working for them at the moment,” says Edwards.
“Every CMO – and CFO – is constantly pursuing improvement, especially where it results in time and cost savings. Assurance auditing may not always mean cheaper media in cash terms, but will certainly ensure an agency is delivering as substantial a schedule as possible.”
Optimising opportunities
Both Edwards and McDowell reiterate the significance of media effectiveness to marketers and media agencies, both of which need to prove that budgets are optimised through the most valuable advertising on the right platforms. “Of paramount importance is determining who is keeping an eye on the measurable return on investment,” McDowell says.
“With the acceleration of spend into paid digital media likely to continue in 2023, marketers are seeing its impact on brand awareness as well as ROI. The map for next year and 2024 must be able to show both the increased spend in this area and its benefits, which is not a simple one for marketers to review,” she says.
The IAS and Eley Consulting partnership’s expertise across platforms and its independence is pivotal to its ability to empower clients to better understand the scope of advertising opportunities and take control of it, in conjunction with their media agencies.
“Media assurance auditing is a quantifiable benefit to marketers, agencies and media houses, providing the transparency in cost and compliance that is vital to sustaining trust between all parties,” Edwards concludes.
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What makes for the perfect client-agency relationship? Poll provides insights
The annual Financial Mail AdFocus Awards celebrate individuals and agencies both for their creative marketing skills and for their overall business acumen.
But what makes for the perfect agency — or the perfect client for that matter? And what's essential in building the perfect relationship between the two?
To find out, the Independent Agency Search and Selection Company (IAS) and Scopen, proud sponsors of the 2022 AdFocus Awards, ran a short online poll during the hybrid awards ceremony on November 30.
Respondents were mainly from agencies, and the results highlight the pulse of the advertising industry at the end of last year.
Defining the perfect client
When asked to select the most important criteria in defining the perfect client, the majority of respondents mentioned either those clients that respect timing (27.8%) or that remunerate their agency adequately (27.8%).
Other factors that contribute to making the perfect client are highlighted as being the desire to work with an agency long term (16.7%), a good professional team in the marketing department (11.1%), and a client that has industry knowledge (11.1%) of the marketing executives working for a particular brand.
Defining the perfect agency
When it comes to what makes for the perfect agency, the majority of respondents (40.9%) said that creativity/innovation is most important factor.
Other criteria that define the ideal agency were mentioned as being a good professional team (13.6%), providing effective return on investment (13.6%), and offering good value for money (9.1%).
It's worth noting that 9.1% of respondents also mentioned strategic planning in this regard.
This highlights how, in SA and globally, data and strategic planning (the understanding of that data) are becoming increasingly important, mainly because marketers are starting to appreciate that without solid strategies, big ideas are not produced.
Defining the perfect client-agency relationship
Again, adequate remuneration appear to be a major factor (52.2%) in defining the perfect client-agency relationship, mainly mentioned by agency professionals responding to the poll.
Personal relationships (17.4%) and partnerships (8.7%) were ranked as the second and third most important criteria.
Scopen CEO César Vacchiano says building long-term relationships comes down to trust and confidence.
Having a good professional team on both sides, that share data and information, and clients that remunerate adequately, produce strong relationships that last longer and give rise to impactful and effective campaigns.
10 trends to take us from permacrisis to permahope
Looking into trends for 2023, firstly my hope is that permacrisis, the term that we all have had in mind for 2022, will expire soon and be substituted by permahope or another more optimistic term, because 2022 has certainly been another uncertain and difficult year for all of us.
César Vacchiano, president & CEO Scopen hopes permacrisis, the term that we all have had in mind for 2022, will expire soon and be substituted by permahope or another more optimistic term
1. Marketers are working with more and more communication partners
This is a global trend. In China, brands mention 25, in Brazil 17 and South Africa is not far behind with 13. The biggest challenge for marketers is to decide which is the best ecosystem of partners for their brands, and how to coordinate them.
2. Data
The Covid-19 pandemic has made marketers realise how important data is, and made them seek data related to trends, technology, consumers, newer generations… Brands want to understand what is happening, reduce uncertainty and be able to engage with their consumers without barriers, in order to be loved and meaningful to them.
3. Strategic planning
Along with data, strategic planning is also becoming increasingly more important, as marketing directors realise they need a different type of talent to help them digest all the different sources of data, identify ‘insights’, and come up with the best strategies that will be the base of big ideas.
4. More integration between creative and media agencies
Because data is mostly handled by media agencies, being one of the weaknesses of some creative agencies, marketers are asking for more integration between creative and media agencies. They believe their media strategies would be more powerful and their teams more efficient if they thought and worked together.
5. Social media, e-commerce and the Metaverse
Investment in social media is increasing, and more specifically, towards Influencers. Ecommerce is also growing and, in the years to come, we will see more brands entering the Metaverse.
6. Trust and partnerships
But another consequence of the pandemic is that marketers have realised that digital platforms are just tactical partners that are more interested in sales than strategic partners that help brands in difficult times. Trust and partnerships have been reinforced and consolidated by agencies that have helped their clients navigate the difficult times and continue to do so, enlightening marketing managers about what is happening locally, regionally, and globally, what type of decisions should be made, and which territories they should invest in to get a better ROI.
7. B2B
B2B will continue to increase in the coming years, with more and more brands investing in B2B while still doing B2C. There are very few specialists in this territory and the few that exist and have developed a profound understanding of the discipline will have a unique opportunity to grow and become powerful partners of the client companies they work with. Cannes Lions has started to recognise these talents and campaigns in 2022, and this category will see a growth in entries soon.
8. People and talent
People and talent in our industry have always been highly important, and one of the main factors that differentiate agencies. But marketers have never valued their agency team as highly as nowadays. This is also a consequence of the pandemic: marketing managers have realised how important it was for them to be able to deal with high profile strategists, creatives, digital leaders, account managers, media experts, technologists… working together in order to create the best possible campaigns.
9. Conflict no longer relevant
Conflict related to agencies working for other brands in the same category are no longer so relevant. Clients have finally understood that sometimes it´s beneficial to work with an agency that fully understands one specific sector or category, and take advantage of that level of expertise, as long as the agency establishes the right walls to protect the information from its different client brands. This is one of the advantages of consultancies coming into this industry as they have been working with clients from the same sector for many years.
10. Sustainability and DEI
Lastly, I do not want to leave out the increasing importance of sustainability and DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion).Consumers will opt for greener choices and all types of companies in our industry are trying to reduce their Carbon Print. The UK´s Adnet Zero programme will no doubt have its replicas in other countries.
At the same time, more and more brands are using agency selection processes that only include agencies that confirm their commitment to DEI with figures from their own agency. More and more agencies have leaders involved in the process of trying to change things. According to Deloitte, 67% of job seeking talent use diversity as an important factor when considering companies and job offers.
This industry will continue to focus, as always, on trying to do good and creating a better planet to live in. Creative talent will keep working with brands to change the world for good. Let’s focus on the thought that, thanks to creativity, we will live in permajoy times in 2023 and the coming years.
You may also be interest in GLOBAL TRENDS THAT WILL IMPACT SA'S CREATIVE INDUSTRY
Global trends that will impact SA's creative industry
Although South Africa has many different issues from more developed countries in Europe and North America, some of the global trends that have emerged from there will have an impact in time in this country.
Johanna McDowell, Independent Agency Search and Selection Company (IAS), and Partner in Scopen Africa, examines global trends that will impact the local creative industry
Sustainability and purpose
Sustainability and purpose were two key trends we observed at the recent Ad Forum Summit in Amsterdam where many of the 15 agencies that we met demonstrated their intentions around these two trends not only in the work that they were producing for brands but also in the way they behave as businesses.
Whether through employment policies, level of HR support for staff, interaction with the broader business community, the kind of power they use in their buildings, I had the sense that these agencies were able to be very focused on much broader issues than the day-to-day operational issues that might negatively affect them.
South Africa is not in such a position as we deal with the never-ending power cuts and economic conditions largely rooted in bad government policies and levels of corruption which seem to be pervasive.
Nonetheless, the global trends are being observed and there is a growing consciousness about the need for cleaner energy, sustainable power sources and even the possibilities of a four-day working week.
In-housing agencies
On a more operational level, we see that the in-housing of agencies trend that emerged a few years ago – although truth be told there has always been some sort of in-housing work being done by marketers if mainly executional only – continues to provoke discussion and interest from marketers and that aspects of digital marketing are starting to go in house for some clients.
The challenge here always is the shortage of talent, the opportunities for digital nomads who can work remotely from South Africa anywhere in the world and earn currency that is far more favourable than rands.
While this global trend exists everywhere it is exacerbated in South Africa by the amount of people who are emigrating – the current brain drain.
This definitely already has had an impact – not only on talent for in-housing purposes but also for talent in agencies in general and also within the marketing environment.
As far as in-housing as a trend is concerned it will expand and contract continuously – especially as the short-term cost savings do not necessarily get replicated in future years.
Value of creativity
One of my colleagues at the AAR recently wrote a crystal-ball gazing piece where he mentioned the many factors affecting our industry and what could happen in 2023, and yet he commented how little attention was being paid to the value of creativity and how brands can employ this to achieve their marketing and business ambitions.
Interestingly I read a recent comment by a local agency leader who believes that the pendulum has swung too far to “all things digital” which probably has been caused by the current obsession with ROI and ROAS (return on ad spend).
I think he may be right and that the pendulum might swing back a little during 2023 more to bigger ideas and higher levels of creativity in order to build brands for the longer term.
Skills shortage impact on growth
On that note the question is being raised constantly here in South Africa about the skills shortage in the marketing community and that there are middle to senior marketing managers who have not been fully equipped with the skills they need to practice marketing at a level that will promote growth - the all important factor in our economy here in South Africa and of course globally. Unless these marketers are better equipped – and perhaps this is where agencies could assist – the skills shortage will have a long-term impact on the growth of this economy.
These trends are quite serious, not light-hearted and frivolous. I do believe it is because we are in an era of post-pandemic re adjustment which will take us a few more years to navigate before we can finally look back and realise that we all came through it in one way or another -and hopefully better for having had what was a cataclysmic experience.
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Predicting 2023 for creative agencies and clients
The first quarter of 2020 brought a shocking halt to business leaders' end of year predictions in 2019. This, then, is a look at 'likely' industry events and inclinations through my crystal ball, experience and intuition..
A need to tread carefully
A brief glance back at this year shows that while there was a fair amount of pitch activity over the last 12 to 18 months, it hasn’t caught up to pre-pandemic proportions. Indicative of the marketing industry having navigated the changes Covid brought and being more ready to engage, we anticipate the likelihood of more pitches happening early in 2023.
On a cautionary note, I’d say we need to tread carefully. Note which clients are pitching again, largely due to some bad habits created over the last three years. These pitches may be a sign of a marketer attempting to change too quickly, or a sense of anxiety among agencies and marketers afraid of missing out on any new technological advancements that could improve their growth.
This anxiety may be seen in companies spreading their resources a bit too far, thereby fragmenting their budget rather than focusing it. I believe by the end of 2023, there will be a re-focus and marketers will start consolidating again.
A discernment from agencies in 2023
However, for right now and into the first part of 2023, there will be a bit of a run on the smaller pitches, particularly with regard to anything data and digital. My sense is, it’s all part of marketing and a sector marketers do need to explore.
This is not in any way a bad thing, but it does seem that marketers are looking to be certain that they are truly tapped into the latest thinking and technology; and that they have the right partners in place. Growth anxiety in the first and second quarters is likely to be a key talking point as marketers dip their toes into various tech waters.
A spin around the crystal ball shows that, paradoxically, agencies are not going to be quite as anxious to jump onto the next big thing. I believe they will be fairly discerning about what they will and won’t pitch on, which we’ve seen as a result of a shortage of staff, post-Covid recovery and a focus on ensuring existing clients are well taken care of.
In 2022, a lot of growing up took place rapidly, and there’s a greater maturity in the industry now. Many agencies have reduced in size of staff and premises, and their cost base isn’t as punishing as it was perhaps three years ago. So, their discernment is real and a good thing.
A great opportunity for local businesses
What I’m hoping for – and always do – is a few new start-ups. Not sure where they’re going to come from, but there is a lot of talk and movement around the technology space in terms of fintech and new tech in general.
These are interesting industries, and we can expect more start-ups in the financial sector. I’m wondering what that may spawn in terms of agencies - will there be agencies that need to specialise in that area? I believe so.
It’s a great opportunity for local businesses, as has been seen in the US for around four years. It’s something that will require ad agencies, marketers, public relations and communications specialists to glean knowledge quickly to provide services.
During Covid, PR was vital and took up its rightful place. There was reputation management, healthcare, cause and other communications that needed to be heard.
The burst of activity in 2020 and 2021 seemed to die down with the onset of 2022, but perhaps the growth in digital and online activities will create opportunities for PR agencies with the required knowledge and experience.
The CMO and agency partners’ conundrum
Recent studies show that the average number of agency partners and platforms in South Africa is 13, but some have as many as 20. It may be prudent to have fewer partners and we’re wondering if this scenario will change, given it also means a fragmented budget.
Senior marketers are seeing this gap in their communications and noting what they must do to rectify this. Greater skills are required, including knowledge about what is possible in terms of technology.
What we may see here is a closer relationship on the client side, between the technology and marketing teams, who will need cohesion and expertise to create effective messaging.
Coming to the party
Finally, the big “work from home” debate will continue into 2023. While some leaders in the marketing and agency side are succeeding in getting their staff to come back to the office, others appear to be considering their stance. It’s clear that in these industries, creativity is enhanced by being in contact with colleagues.
While there’s much to be said for working from home, there’s an equal argument for the value of having a diverse group in face-to-face planning and producing creative initiatives.
I believe we need to be measured about our solutions and create in-person moments that add real value.
Merely having staff members in the office two days a week is not really the answer, unless leadership motivates attendance by bringing teams in to work to create, achieve and grow together through projects and campaigns.
By creating opportunities to see the C-suite at work and be a part of shared imagination and innovation, enthusiastic staff will want to be there. When the desire to be with colleagues is ignited by the benefits to an individual both creatively and career-wise, they will choose to be where the chemistry happens
Scopen releases second Sustainability Report results for Latin America
Scopen has presented the main results of the Sustainability Report in Latam at the Latin American Creative Economy Summit +CTG. This report, focusing on developing markets, highlights insights likely reflective of South Africa's future viewpoints.
This is the second edition carried out by the consultancy, as a joint initiative with the UCEP (Colombian Union of Advertising Companies), in order to analyse the role of companies operating in the marketing and communication sectors in Latin America, in compliance with sustainable development goals.
Sustainabilty
The report was developed during the months of August and September 2022, and involved the participation of 100 professionals from advertising companies from eight countries in the Latin American market, of which Brazil had the highest representation.
The average age of those professionals interviewed is 42 years. Most of them are marketing directors (20%), multinational companies (56%) and, above all, belong to the FMCG sector (32%).
When interviewees are asked about the words most associated with sustainability, environment stands out first, followed by responsibility (in 2021, this order was reversed). In addition, we see an increase in mentions of circular economy (in third position) followed by future and recycling (a new mention this edition).
Among the Sustainability Goals (SDG) which the interviewees consider that companies are more involved with, the following stand out globally (with some differences depending on the country analyzed): SDG-08 Decent Work and Economic Growth, SDG-05 Gender Equality and SDG-03 Partnerships to Achieve Goals.
On the other hand, when they talk about the actions that they are carrying out today to meet these Goals, the most mentioned, also globally, are those that promote diversity/equality/inclusion, followed by communication campaigns and those aimed at reducing environmental impact.
Responsible consumption
Looking to the future, however, they claim to work more towards others such as SDG- 02 Zero Hunger, SDG-015 Life of Terrestrial Ecosystems, SDG-01 End of Poverty and SDG-13 Climate Action.
The most active sectors in the fulfillment of the five SDGs that were most mentioned in 2021 are food, followed by culture and media and associations and NGOs.
In 2022, the importance that the interviewees give to SDG-12 which guarantees responsible production and consumption modalities (especially related to the industry analysed), stands at an average of 7.9 points out of 10 (in 2021 it was 8.5 points).
Regarding ways in which industry agents declare they can help to comply with the SDGs, creating communication and awareness campaigns that value sustainability and then promotion of sustainability education both stand out (as they did in 2021).
During the interviews, professionals were also asked about those brands/companies in the region that, in their opinion, stand out with their commitment to the SDGs. The most mentioned, as in the previous edition, are recognized with the new Sustainability Awards that were delivered at the Latin American Creative Economy Summit +CTG.
According to César Vacchiano, president and CEO of Scopen, “This second edition delves deeper into analysing the involvement of companies in the region in achieving sustainable development goals and how the agents that collaborate with them can, through communication campaigns, put value on sustainability and create awareness campaigns”.
“As was our initial intention, the recurrence of this report allows us to observe the evolution of the industry´s commitment to sustainability. At UCEP we are delighted to be able to help companies build better brands concerned about generating value for society and the planet, which will undoubtedly lead to a better perception of these by their consumers and users and to greater confidence and security for its stakeholders”, says Ximena Tapias, P+president of UCEP.
Read online here
#AdForumSummit: Agencies reinventing, redefining futures
The last time we were in Amsterdam for an AdForum Worldwide Summit was in 2018; it seems like a lifetime ago and, of course, was pre-pandemic or before the world changed. This year, we visited the city again, on 6–9 November 2023. It was really great to be back in this wonderful, creative, entrepreneurial melting pot, where the average number of different nationalities in agencies is greater than a minimum of 10.
We were told that 65% of all agencies are back full-time in the office and, with respect to the 16 agencies we visited, most are now 100% full-time office-based. There’s still some hybrid work but that tends to be much more on the marketer/client side, with many of the financial institutions being permanently hybrid. So, all of the offices we visited were lively, active and back to full culture — it was great to see.
We saw four ‘categories’ of agencies as identified by AdForum:
Heritage agencies reinventing themselves
Newcomers redefining the digital space
New networks building integrated offerings in multi-specialist collectives
Newcomers still capitalising on creativity as their core offering
These four categories demonstrate what’s really happening in the advertising industry currently and also provide clues to the future. They also lead to the key question: Are heritage agencies definitely part of our past?
#1. Heritage agencies
Heritage agencies are reinventing themselves. Look no further than Forsman & Bodenfor, which is positioning itself as a global creative collective. It’s aware that many people (if not most) hate advertising, so the agency professes to “tell stories people want to hear for clients with something to say”. It talks of radical collaboration, the task being the only boss, and practices boutique craft at a global scale. It also reiterated and demonstrated its maxim, “We can’t do everything but we can do anything.”
Another example we visited is UK B2B specialist agency, Gravity Global, with 600 specialists across five continents, including an office in Durban. It’s the most awarded B2B agency in the world. This is important because it very deliberately targets business awards where its clients are and in categories of clients that it wants. It doesn’t target creative awards.
Its secret sauce? FAB — the attention engine:
Fame — what is your brand famous for?
Admiration — what is your brand admired for?
Belief — what value do buyers believe they are buying?
Client conflict isn’t an issue as clients want the B2B expertise and will therefore tolerate competitive brands being with the agency.
#2. Newcomers redefining the digital space
A prime example in this category, and a very refreshing agency, was Springbok x Dawn. It’s positioned as a leading brandtech agency for a sustainable future. It is purpose-led; the agency told us that consumer trust in the economy has never been lower in the Netherlands. The wealth gap in the Netherlands — much like everywhere else — is getting bigger and bigger, and brands need to play a bigger role in society. Springbok wants to reinvent marketing for 21st century brands and is “helping good brands grow big, as when big brands grow good, the world can change”.
The agency has several offices in Belgium and the Netherlands, and has partnered with South Africa’s Joe Public. It’s exciting to hear about this partnership. It showed us case studies for Eneco (green energy), Artis (Amsterdam Zoo), and Jumbo, and talked of its first client, Triodos Bank, a small niche bank which is still its client 10 years later.
#3. New networks building integrated offerings in multi-specialist collectives
iO is a new micro network, built by local campuses, with an integrated offering and offices in the Netherlands, Belgium and the Nordic countries. Started in Belgium in 2018, it now has 1 800 staff and €250m turnover. Its growth strategy is centred on building depth in every region, not on building scattered small teams around the globe.
It persuades clients “one test at a time” in order to prove that it’s capable of providing a full digital service end-to-end. Fifty percent of its clients started off on the tech side and then moved to marketing. The agency has been built through organic growth and through acquiring agencies and partners with suitable skills to complement the existing set. The M&A strategy is deliberate in that it only wants to find partners which will remain their agencies and not look for earnouts.
“Experience is everything” is iO’s mantra and it has four pillars of offerings to clients:
Grow the love for your brand
Shape or future-proof your business
Develop your digital ecosystem
Accelerate intelligent growth
The key ingredient is “grow a nose for the orchestration of digital skills”. The message is clear: If agencies want to really be end-to-end in delivery, they have to be accountable end-to-end. There’s no room to blame anyone else.
#4. Newcomers still capitalising on creativity as their core offering
Been There Done That is a fresh and disruptive new kid on the block, a blend of a holding company and Oliver-style talent pool that has offices in London and New York. It has 25 central people on board, all highly experienced thinkers who can work fast, and draws from a pool of 350 experts from all over the world in 34 markets.
It’s NOT a capability agency and doesn’t do any execution work; instead, it creates frameworks and has decoupled thinking from execution. It works in the area of strategy and has a tech platform which enables the 350 experts to connect and gain work. Some marketers who they work with keep them secret as these are strategic thinkers.
Key summit takeouts
Agencies that can’t provide at least half of the digital services that clients need currently will be out of business within the next two years.
Digital products and services, paid-media performance and end-to-end digital marketing can be delivered and must be fully accountable.
B2B marketing and communication has experienced significant growth in the past few years and is destined to continue on this trajectory. However, it’s a specialist area and needs suitable specialists to deliver.
Traditional creative agencies are reinventing themselves rapidly and creating new opportunities in the digital space, especially in paid media – “faking viral”.
Although the newer digital-native agencies are adding on new skills and capabilities in a highly entrepreneurial way, none of them aspires to be a “holding company”.
Out of global full-service agencies and digital multi-specialists comes the birth of the orchestrators, which are able to build ad hoc teams drawn from their own teams or wider independent partners.
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IAS Agency Credentials Gold Award for 2022 goes to Ogilvy
The Assegai Integrated Marketing Awards, in conjunction with the IAS (Independent Agency Search and Selection) is proud to announce the winner of the prestigious IAS Agency Credentials Award - Ogilvy who achieved a Gold Award.
Although this award was inaugurated in 2016, IAS recently revitalised their relationship with the Direct Marketing Association of South Africa (DMASA) - organisers of the Assegai Awards - in order to “relaunch” the IAS Credentials Award last year. The award ceremony took place on 10 November 2022 in Melrose, Johannesburg. Entries were received from creative, digital, and media agencies.
Judges included several leading South African marketers as well as international judge Cesar Vacchiano who is president and global CEO of Scopen International. Johanna McDowell, CEO; Nikki Munsie, business director and Tebatso Masete, project director of the IAS were also part of the judging panel.
According to Vacchiano “The judges were quite specific about the criteria and the winning entry certainly displayed evidence of an agency that was clear about their focus and positioning. The credentials entries provided the judges with insight into the agency culture and the successes of the work that they are doing for their clients. ROI was clearly evident.”
Johanna McDowell, founder and CEO of the IAS comments: “We are committed to our partnership with DMASA and will continue to offer the Credentials Award. We would like to encourage more agencies to enter this award in the future because it will give them an opportunity to showcase their agency to the significant number of leading marketers on the judging panel,” concludes McDowell.
ADFORUM GLOBAL SUMMIT 2022 AMSTERDAM 6-9 NOV DAY 3
AdForum is a unique and hyper-focused event for agency CEOs to present their strategy and vision to the world's leading search and management consultancies. IAS is proud to be representing SA and Africa at this summit.