In-house marketing, communication and brand executives have a tough job. They have to balance the development of their team, a budget that supports their gaps in expertise, and a constant supply of new ideas and perspectives.
To manage all of that, they sometimes pluck one idea from an agency here and another from a different agency over there. And, unfortunately, what ends up happening to both the agency and the executive is that their best efforts are never realized.
That’s because when the work is parsed out like that, you’re not getting an invested partner. Instead, you’ve hired several agencies invested in their own ideas of what your organization needs. This juggling is often plagued by a multitude of starts and stops, ineffective and inefficient project management, and confusion — lots and lots of it.
And, here’s why:
When you use multiple agencies, you’re messing with your audience, the investment of your team and staff, and the confidence others have placed in you.
When you can’t decide which agency brings the greatest value at a particular time, either you’re unclear about what to prioritize or the organization you work for is.
Your audience can see it in your bizarre shifts in taste, which probably isn’t really your taste at all, but instead that of the creative director at each agency you’re using. Here’s a hint: just because we’re all using Helvetica, does not mean you’re delivering a cohesive brand experience.
Your staff is confused. There’s no centering of message or meaning. How are they connected, not to the promotion, but to the why of your work? What sense are they to make of some random idea brought to you by one of your top 5?
And, perhaps the cruelest effect of working with multiple agencies, it undermines your credibility. When you can’t make a decision about which one makes the most sense for you, it says you don’t know how to answer the needs of your organization. Or if you do, that you don’t have the leverage to advance an agenda.
You’re undermining your best efforts, and the work any one of the agencies could do. Instead, take some time to reflect on where you’re headed. Get inside your leader’s head, and center your approach. Focus on the long-term. Respond to the short-term. Drive patience and maturity into the process. Be the steady in the storm.
And, find a partner who believes in the connection between company culture and the brand development, one who can identify and deliver on an approach that advances both, and can support a plan for both immediate and long-term goals.
It’s nearly impossible to realize the gains most organizations are looking for without focus and commitment to strategy. And unfortunately, parsing out work on a whim often means the death of relevance, both for you as a leader and professional, and your organization.
Danielle Milner is the Co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer of DO:BETTER, an independent design company specializing in the development of enduring brands and identity programs.
