Things have come to a nasty pass in the agency biz.
Being hired by a procurement officer is surely a sign of
vendorship, not partnership. And apple carts
continue to be upset at every turn.
Marketing once was a piece of the advertising pie. Now advertising has become a sub-set of marketing, and the Rodney Dangerfield in the marketing mix. Ad types who were once counted on for wise counsel are now vendors who don’t get no respect.
And new generations of digital agencies has contributed to this reversal of fortune. Here’s what I mean. A list of advertising agencies popped up on my screen the other day. The list included : Juniper Park, Rockfish, Big Spaceship, Unknownlab, Victors & Spoils, Ground Zero, and Toy. No Weiden. No Kennedy No Fallon. No Bogusky. So who’s in charge? Who’s responsible? Who’s minding the store? In a service business, where relationships matter, does it really make sense to hide behind a name that make you sound like a rock group?
Naming your new company after the partners may sound quaint in this digital era, but there’s much to recommend it.
- It establishes a unique identity for your firm - making your URL safe.
- It clearly differentiates you and your crew from everyone else.
- It lets everyone know who’s in charge, where the buck stops, etc.
- It tells the client, who may very well not be working directly with the names on the letterhead, who to call when the relationship hits a rough patch.
- It identifies responsibility and by doing so builds trust and authenticity.
Every rule has exceptions and so does this one. But in the end I believe that personality wins. And most business people with an ad budget burning a hole in their pocket will feel more comfortable and confident entrusting it to stand up people who aren't afraid their name on the door.