SM526

Marketing Communications and Advertising

Workshop 2
Role of Agency & the Pitching Process

Aim
Describe how agencies manage operations and use
resources to meet client needs
Pitching
Briefing
Structure
Review
Role of account planners and managers
Relationship management

Agency Types

Full service
Direct Marketing
Creative Hot Shops
Sales Promotion
Media Buying Houses
Design Studios
PR
Sector Specialist e.g. Finance, Higher Education

Common Agency Mix

Telemarketing

Field
Marketing

Direct
Marketing
Promotional
Marketing

Advertising

Point of Sale

Sponsorship
& Events

Media
Relations

PR

Social /
Digital

Publications

Research

Key Roles of an Ad Agency

Business partner
Communications consultant
Voice of the consumer
Custodian of the brand
Entertainment co-ordinator!
Fall guy!

Agency Structure
Company Management - Board of Directors - direction of
company
Account Management - Account Directors - liaison with and
developing new clients
Creative Staff - Generally in 2/3 man teams (visualiser and
copywriter)
TV Staff - Internal production staff
Art Staff - Make up the ads, story boards etc.
Traffic Staff - Make sure all the elements come together
Media Staff - Buying, TV air time, press, posters, radio, cinema
etc
Planning Staff - Developing advertising strategy and tactics for
clients
Admin Staff - General administration billing of clients etc.

Roles within the Agency

Account Management - Represents client in
agency and agency with client. Co-ordinator, team
leader, administrator. Central point of contact.
Scapegoat!
Account Planning - Understands consumer, trends
and influences. Analyses market/competitors.
Provides focus. Watches and directs creative
development. Monitors ads against objectives set.
Media Planner/Buyer - Understands media
market. Knows how to define and reach target
consumer.

Roles Within the Agency

Creative Team - Small - Art Director and Copywriter.
Translate brief into advertising. Break rules. Sometimes
mad, sometimes brilliant. Protective of ideas. Can be very
wealthy!
Print Production & Traffic - Ensure creative completed
on time & approved. Ensure work reaches contractors on
time. Know all about printing, technology, typography etc.
Negotiating and controlling production costs
TV Production - Every aspect of TV, radio and cinema
production. Liaise with creative team. Co-ordinate process
from script to transmission. Production detail, estimates,
cost control etc

Agency Remuneration
Various fee structures:
Media percentage 10% - 15%
Performance related / % of sales or profits
Agreed benchmarks
Hourly rate
Project by project quotes

How To Choose An Ad Agency

Issues to be considered
Agencys reputation (creativity, achievements, effectiveness,
awards)
Level and style of service
Account team
Billing arrangements
Networks and links (especially multinationals and global
brands)
Who other clients are - possible conflict/s of interest
Reasons for review Existing relationship may be stale (new ideas/fresh outlook)
Relationship deteriorates (personality clashes/changes in
team)
New business/market opportunities

On-going Responsibilities Of New Account Exec

Competitor Review
Photographing window posters of fast food restaurants & soft drinks.
Investigating what promotions other brands have launched
Beverage Report
Collating information from trade press that helps account team keep
aware of what else is going on
Status Tracking
Sending weekly updates of the status to the client. Also useful for
team as highlights where they are and what needs to be done
Primary School
Every third week a day is spent at a primary school as a classroom
assistant. Helps agency to gain insight into how children behave

Pitching Process - Client View

Client contacts Ad Agency Register (AAR) provides initial list of
agencies based on info from client
Client reviews initial list - credentials, case histories etc
Shortlist of relevant agencies (4-8) and chemistry meetings
Client formally briefs agencies - strategic or live brief with planned
campaign at end. Confidentiality agreements signed
Agencies present pitch document - may include creative work,
strategy, branding etc. Also present proposed account team, strategy
for managing account, initial cost/billing proposal
Pitches compared by client. Agencies may be required to do more
work - could be number of stages.
Once decision is made - formally employ agency, encourage
relationship building up-front and may inform industry media

Pitching Process - Agency View

Client invites around 4 agencies to pitch
Receive brief (i.e. 10% uplift in sales) when to do it, and how
much they have to spend
Agency will brainstorm, then compile and expand on best ideas
Create pitch document and present idea at pitch
If the client likes idea best theyll give us the work. We then set
everything in motion to put promotion into action
After the promotion, analyse its success
Some promotions are one-off, other clients become retained,
which means dont have to pitch for the work again.

The Creative Brief

Background to campaign
Ad objectives
Target audience
Product/Service
specification
Single minded proposition
Support information
Desired Response (think,
feel, do)
Creative guidelines
Mandatories- style
guidelines
Budget/timing

Account managers must

translate brief into brief
for creative team - ensure
focus
Creative work
Client comments
Research
Pre-production estimates, casting,
locations, sets etc
Production - shoot,
photography, illustration,
artwork etc
Client approvals - with
research
Runs
Further research?

The Media Brief

Produced at same time as creative brief or as part of overall
brief if full-service agency
Same elements included without creative elements. Campaign
timing particularly important
Media planners need to produce integrated campaign plan
with all media being used fitting together around campaign
launch date
Client needs to ensure integration continues with activity they
control - PR, internal communications, sales information,
telesales, resourcing, trade communications
Marketing Communications Integration improves performance
of all individual items

How The Agency Brings It Alive

Where do we want to connect with the audience?
What frame of mind should the target audience be in?
How should we connect with consumers?
What media should we use?
What are the most appropriate connection points for solving this
problem?

Media Planning
Media Planners attempt to deliver messages through variety
of media which fit reading/viewing habits of target audience at lowest possible cost.
3 major decisions
Choice of media (broad range e.g. outdoor)
Choice of vehicle (narrowed down e.g. bus stop)
When the message is conveyed
Complex
- Size & dispersion of target audience
- Variety of available media
- Effective frequency
- Media effectiveness
- Timing & scheduling

Media Concepts

Reach and coverage

Frequency
OTS/OTV/OTH
Duplication
Efficiency
Media Considerations

How much space?

When is the space booked for?
How flexible is your schedule?

How To Ensure Good Agency Relationship

Have clear understanding of remuneration and costs
Agencies should add value, let them become part of
marketing team
Involve them early in project
They can give alternative view - not as close to
market
Give clear briefs for each project
Agree deadlines
Prepare planning calendar working back from launch
date

Necessary Skills
Time management
-prioritising
-keeping on top of the workload
Self motivation
-little supervision needed
-finding work during quiet periods
Attention to detail
Presenting skills
Adapting to your audience
Behaving appropriately with colleagues and clients

What Is It Really Like?

Chaos: No steady workload manic or really quiet - never in between
In at the deep end: Lot of responsibility from start - you need to learn
fast
Varied: No two days the same - work is rarely repetitive
Not all lunches and jollies: People mistakenly think marketing and
advertising are about going out for lunch, claiming it back on
expenses and going on glamorous trips you actually have to do
some work!
Fun!however, some opportunities do arise including parties, film
premiers, photo shoots, TV shoots and champagne receptions