With the world economy teetering on the edge of recession and with many organisations looking to cut expenditure, the biggest mistake is to immediately go for the lowest price.

The saying "you get what you pay for" applies in booms and busts. And while during recessions the market is more competitively priced and bargains are available, the problem is that you can also get false economy from simply selecting the cheapest offering.

The smart strategy is to negotiate on value, rather than simply price. By way of example, lets look at a retailer who is reviewing their electronic art and print management.

Continue reading "Even facing recession, price should not be the final or only criteria" »

We are all aware of the direction the world wide economy is heading. But in the past two months it appears that agency fees are going the same way during the pitch process. But the same cannot be said for agency fees when discussing the negotiations with an incumbent agency.

It appears in their desire to win, or some may say buy, business, some agencies are slashing their overheads in their retainer proposals and offering key senior staff for free to make their remuneration proposals more desirable.

But when the same agencies come to renegotiating their fees with an existing client they scream "blue murder" when it is suggested they could look at any change but an increase to their existing fee structure.

Are they that secure in the relationship that they think that in these difficult times, their existing client would not put the business out to pitch?

Continue reading "The power of competitive pressure on advertising agency fees" »

In this special audio presentation Chris Sewell, Business Director for TrinityP3 consulting services, sits down with David Crew of On Paper to talk about the explosion of marketing businesses claiming ‘Carbon neutrality’ as a marketing position while not understanding that offsets are the first refuse of rogues. Chris is passionate about reducing carbon emissions in the business he knows - advertising.

http://papertellsastory.com/2008/11/07/sustaincommworld-live-with-christopher-sewell/

What are these green painted bike paths doing in the middle of Manhattan? Was the land of consumption really starting to care about the state of the planet?

We had arranged to see a number of companies including the leading advertiser industry body to test the water with our environmental marketing solutions. What was the percentage weighting for the environment compared with saving the dollars in a time of unprecedented institutional unrest?

The first day of my meetings corresponded with a 700-point drop on the Dow Jones. Would anyone be interested in greening up their marketing spend in a strategically and balanced way when simply slashing the advertising budget would do the trick?

Continue reading "Greening the internet by the Americans?" »

I know this video has been around on the internet for a while, but I am always amazed that it was created by Microsoft. I have never really thought of Microsoft as a customer centric organisation considering how hard I have always found their operating systems and program interfaces to use.

Anyway, this is the consumer breaking up with the marketer, or probably more correctly it should be the brand, because consumers have relationships with brands. They only have relationships with marketers if they are dating, married or living with them.

Watching it again, I think it is really interesting at how many traditional agencies and their clients are still embracing the broadcasting approach to communications reflected in this video, rather than join the conversation that consumers are already having amongst themselves.

Is it because it is easier to simply keep talking at people rather than stop to listen and respond to what they are saying in a meaningful way? Clearly if marketers continue to talk at their consumers rather than with them, then perhaps the Microsoft view of the relationship between marketers and consumers will come true. Or is it true for some brands already?

I received an email overnight from Euro RSCG on:

Euro RSCG and The National Media Group Discuss
The Importance of Branding: The Cautionary Tale of the Bailout

Considering the global newsworthiness of this topic, Euro RSCG had seized the opportunity to make a valuable and relevant contribution to the discussion.

Many times when we are running agency search and selection projects for clients, unsuccessful agencies will ask for advice on how they can better position themselves with clients?

The answer is by being relevant, interesting and memorable. The Euro RSCG email reproduced below does all of that.

Continue reading "How to position your advertising agency as relevant to the modern world" »

Okay, this is a little over the top, but it makes you consider the concept of a great relationship when it comes to your creative agency. Do you want an agency that just meekly executes your every whim and wish? Or is a great agency relationship one with passion and commitment?

Beyond the basics of mutual respect, understanding and shared values, what do you think are the hallmarks of a great client - agency relationship? And what do you do to foster and maintain yours?

So says Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor, the writers and directors for Crank. Check out the comments on high definition digital video using the Red One camera by some of the world's leading film directors here

So why do so many commercial film directors still insist on shooting on expensive and outdated film?

According to our calculations marketing communication globally is responsible for over 500 million tonnes of CO2-e per year and is forecast to grow by over 5 percent every year thereafter.

To get this into some prospective, this is the equivalent amount CO2-e generated in the same period by over 380,000,000 average fuel-efficient cars. This is more than half the total number of cars on the road today!

Continue reading "Advertiser’s Carbon Footprint equivalent to 380,000,000 cars!" »

One of the best films made on advertising is "Truth in Advertising" and available on DVD from Amazon.

In this satirical take on the advertising process, the agency and client personnel say what they are thinking. If you have not seen it, it is well worth taking the time.

But when we have played this video to an audience of advertising agency people and marketers, the agency people cringe and their clients laugh. Why?

Continue reading "Why do agencies cringe and marketers laugh when they are confronted with truth in advertising?" »