Winning big by choosing small
The case for small agencies
IdeaBank has been around for more than 30 years. I've been with the company for most of that time. When I was in college, I dreamed of being a "big agency big shot." But now that I've experienced the kind of work small shops like ours produce, I'm convinced that bigger and better things actually do come in small packages.
I love it when I read in Ad Age that big companies are turning to smaller agencies for creative work. It underscores the hunch I've had all along: many large agencies take clients for granted, putting inexperienced junior staff on accounts, and not giving clients their best efforts.
The case for small agencies: A large computer manufacturer in Southern California approached a very high profile ad agency to pitch their account. The agency management was eager to get the business, but there were no creative people willing or able to do the "pitch," so the entire presentation was given to an outside ad agency that the big client rejected as "too small" to handle the account. But the work was so good that not only did the big agency win the client's business, the entire first year's campaign was done by the outside shop. To this day, the client doesn't know that.
If you're hunting for a marketing partner, make sure you choose an agency whose staff is eager to work in your industry. The agency that gives the high-dollar presentation with all the audio and video "bells and whistles" may not be your best long-term partner. Search for the values that last- it may very well be a smaller agency like Idea Bank!
Why choose a small agency?
- Personal service - meet with the person who's involved with your account on a regular basis.
- Less overhead - smaller shops have less expenses which translates to lower hourly rates.
- Responsive - without the layers of management and inherent bureaucracy, you'll get things done faster and more efficiently.
- More focus - simply stated, small teams are easier to keep on task.
- Creative resources - small environments with family-like teams breed curious, versatile and fun results.
