Ad agencies give planning its due

AGKSPEAK

The Indian Advertising Agency revisited
I left the advertising business in March 2003. In a month it will be five years that I have been away.

During this five-year period I have learnt a lot. About the advertising business... from the outside. So I thought it would be interesting if I took a break from my usual column and shared with you a few observations on what I've learnt so far.

I have been at the receiving end of many pitches over these five years. All of them have been from the country's top agencies, so I have had a pretty good view of what most clients are exposed to from what can be best termed as the brightest and best of Indian ad agencies. In fact, this triggered the idea of writing a report on what has happened while I was away.

The good news is that planning as a function is now being taken really seriously across the board. I am sure that there are some agencies for whom this has always been integral to the way they strategise but it is good to know that all the country's top agencies have built into their way of thinking. A really sincere effort is being invested into understanding the market place, the product and the competition.

And now for the not so pleasant observations. While the planning team seems to be getting its focus right, there seems to be a strange disconnect between the planner's insight and the creative execution.

The first time we were exposed to it, we had the planning team propound their insights which we all thought was very good and astute. It was a perfect build-up for the creative pitch and we looked forward eagerly to it being articulated. Only to be let down quite badly. As usual the creative product was way off tangent even though one half of the agency seemed to know what ought to be done.

The second observation is that all agencies across the board seem to be offering 360 degree solutions to their clients! Phrases like total branding solutions, integrated marketing are thrown about liberally during presentations with precious little to back the claims.

Let's be honest, it is not possible to encompass the entire gamut of the marketing world in your offering. The truth is, clients too know that it is not possible.

But yet agencies offer to handle them all! Including areas like a brand's internal communication. In their eagerness to talk the same language as their client, they step way beyond their field of competencies and end up sounding ...well, a bit hollow in the bargain.

A great creative product has been and will always be the agency's trump card. That is one area that no marketing specialist can ever venture into. So my suggestion would be for agencies to stick to their knitting "" do what everyone knows they do well.

However, if they do want to play a role in offering marketing solutions they could always partner with their holding companies' specialist divisions (and almost all of them have these days).

In very much the same manner that a general physician, having diagnosed the problem, refers the patient to the specialist in the field, rather than taking on the onus of trying to be a 360 degree healer!

At this stage, I must add that MICA seems to be stabilising. I was exposed to a MICAN's presentation on consumer insights and it was, by far, the best I've seen. Every little detail was looked into and articulated with finesse. Good going guys and girls!

And my last observation: Agencies invariably arrive in droves, seeming to take strength in numbers for their presentations. And everyone seems to have their own little piece to say "" leaving the client befuddled in the ensuing mela of voices and opinions. It is far more professional to arrive as a lean team with definite roles for each speaker.

Yes, it has been enlightening five years. I hope my retro after the next five will carry more pros than cons!

agkbrandconsult@yahoo.com