I was talking to a client recently about a one-off focus group they wanted me to moderate to support a pitch and possibly went slightly overboard emphasising how I wasn’t prepared to simply produce pitch fodder and therefore wouldn’t tolerate agency people sitting in observing the group, being ‘encouraged’ as to what the research recommendations … Continue reading When does Research cross the line and become Pitch Fodder?
Category: agencies
future trends in innovation and friends
Neil Perkin has been doing a series of ‘Future Trends in Digital Marketing Innovation Briefings' for Econsultancy and the roadshow hit Leeds last Thursday. Some of the things Neil talked about included Networked Enterprises and Innovation within companies. In fact it seems to me that the two are pretty much interconnected. The days of organisations … Continue reading future trends in innovation and friends
agency clients can be sexist too
There’s obviously been a lot in the UK press recently about sexism in the workplace. Back in 2007 I blogged about the difficulties in finding an agency where the culture fits you. To be honest, that post was more about the dinosaur agency cultures I’d encountered that thought the local lap dancing club was an … Continue reading agency clients can be sexist too
let’s play Hunt the Brief
There’s something no-one told me about life as a Freelance Planner. You need to be a bit of a detective. You’d be amazed how often I turn up at an agency to find that the person who booked me to come in and work on Client X isn’t there and has left no instructions for … Continue reading let’s play Hunt the Brief
simplifying the Agency Process Chart
In almost every agency credentials meeting I’ve ever been in a Process chart has been pulled out. You know, the ‘our unique approach to reaching marketing solutions’ chart that renames every process, procedure and department to bring it all in line with the particular agency’s positioning. They come in all shapes and sizes, from flow … Continue reading simplifying the Agency Process Chart
a few New Year’s Resolutions for the ad industry
I don’t make New Year’s Resolutions. Mainly because then I can’t be depressed by (however inadvertently) breaking them. But I thought that maybe the advertising/marketing/communications industry could do with making a few resolutions for 2011. Might I suggest: - Stop insisting Digital is some kind of holy grail, first stop, catch all solution and start … Continue reading a few New Year’s Resolutions for the ad industry
Pitch perfect?
As part of my occasional series of posts on Insights Based on Freelancing at Other People’s Agencies, this time my thoughts turn to Pitching. I’ve worked on rather a lot of pitches recently, of all shapes and sizes. Since the last couple of agencies I was employed by worked in a fairly similar way, I’d … Continue reading Pitch perfect?
a few things they never tell you about freelance life
I took the plunge as a Freelancer nearly six months ago - and haven't looked back. But if you're thinking of doing the same, there are a few things you should know: You will be introduced to, on average, twenty new people every week. All of whom will assume you know their names, job title and … Continue reading a few things they never tell you about freelance life
Leading by example or led by the culture?
In what is turning out to be a bit of a thread on Insights Based on Freelancing at Other People’s Agencies, I’ve been thinking about agency cultures (and their related positionings) recently. by Hugh at gapingvoid, CC applies Whatever the HR experts might say about employee led or even customer led cultures and about organisations … Continue reading Leading by example or led by the culture?
abandon hope, all ye who pitch (or tender) round here
It’s slowly dawning on me that it’s not just the large-ish integrated agencies I used to work for that get seriously messed about in tenders and pitches by clients. Every agency I go into seems to be in the throes of some kind of new business related angst. Take, for example: The client’s tender where … Continue reading abandon hope, all ye who pitch (or tender) round here