Agency Relationships PART 3: Parting Ways
Oct 18, 2024
Oct 18, 2024
Oct 18, 2024
Oct 18, 2024
We asked experienced marketers to explore the lifecycle of client-agency relationships from their client perspective. Join us as we delve into topics like Finding the Right Agency, Collaborating Effectively, and yes, even Parting Ways (the dreaded breakup).
Meet Joyce
In Part One & Part Two of our Agency Relationship Series, we've covered courting to the honeymoon phase, to collaborating as partners. But what if it's just not a fit? *Cue breakup*
We sat down with Joyce Whitney, tenacious problem solver, self-proclaimed "cat person with dogs", and Senior Procurement Manager - Global Marketing, Media & Advertising at McCormick & Company. Read along as Joyce walks us through the hardest part of relationships, parting ways.
——
Q #1:
Tell us about yourself and how you got here.
And, what's your background working with agencies?
I don’t have a sexy story about the burning desire to be in advertising from the time I was seven and this was my dream come true. Much less dramatic.
After a couple years in college putzing around with a psych degree, I wandered into an advertising major, and it just really stuck. (Not even sure what an advertising degree buys you?) I realized early on that experience was key, so I spent a lot of time figuring out how to get my foot in a door, any door. My first job paid a whopping $5.50/hour. I bought media in a small agency outside of Baltimore. They had a bunch of government accounts, a commercial nursery account, and supplements account. The whole shebang was run by an oddly charming, but somewhat eccentric couple. He was a lifelong ad guy, and she was a high school teacher who married late in life for money. It had the makings of a bad sitcom—very dysfunctional, but wildly fun.
I watched and learned. Because it was a small agency, I bought media, but also did a bunch of other things. I learned about paste-up, commercial photo shoots, copywriting, media big and small, printing, deadlines, vendors. It was magical, like Disney magical. The smell of waxer left on overnight, the smell of bluelines fresh from a printer, paper samples, sourcing actors, finding props…. hitting deadlines, missing deadlines, and so many passionate, smart, quirky people. I zigged and zagged a bit—a couple years managing a creative services team for a Catholic non-profit, all things print production at an ad agency in Annapolis, more direct mail than I ever imagined possible at an agency in DC. I spent 11 years in a big agency in Baltimore working on big brands. I zigged again to an ad agency in Columbia that did mostly NSA/government type work. Super-secret, mostly digital, way out of my comfort zone. More watching and learning as I dove into digital production with web developers, nerdy coders and designers making graphics for the POTUS. All along I never stopped learning about clients, their brands, about production, suppliers and people. Putting all the puzzle pieces together is a challenge that I embraced.
And then I jumped over to the corporate side of things managing a creative team at Pandora (jewelry not radio) and all the while managing vendors in a corporate setting, which they call Procurement. And then I moved over to a tech company and now CPG.
I think I’ve had the best career imaginable because of all the people I’ve known along the way. So creative and smart.
Q #2:
Let's face it, sometimes an agency partner just isn't the right fit. As a client, what are some signs that the relationship isn't working?
It's the same thing with your best friend’s boyfriend, its all wonderful until its not.
At first the agency can do no wrong. If the creative missed the mark, it was our fault the brief was bad, if the budget runs over, we find money. Generally, the Agency/Client relationship hits its stride, and the give and take are mutual, you do good work, with good budgets and good timelines.
Because I’m Procurement and am on the outside and not in day-to-day, I start to hear rumblings late in the game. The conversations turn to “they want more money” “they need more time…” Best I can, I try to fix the relationship and understand what has changed. Did some significant leave the agency or get taken off the account? Fixing is key, because it’s a pain in the ass switch agencies, it is not something taken lightly.
Q #3:
When you notice a misalignment with your agency partner, how do you get things back on track?
How do you know if the relationship can be mended? How do you know when it’s time to call it quits?
It really is zeroing on the problem and sitting down to mutually figure out a workable solution.
Lots of time it’s staffing, key people leave the account and either haven’t’ been replaced or the replacement just isn’t right. Or the chemistry isn’t there. Or there’s a process that’s broken and needs to be revisited. Fix things on both sides in the moment, don’t let them fester. Have those “hard conversations” make them two-way conversations and find solutions.
Agency folk, I promise you, the Client side wants to fix the problem. Tell the Client that their creative briefs suck; share ownership of missed timelines; staff the account to do good work; price the work to make both sides happy, but don’t be greedy. If its staffing, include the client in interview process, if its budgets, be creative, suggest outsourcing a production component or photoshoots for multiple campaigns at the same time. Embrace all things “partnership.”
Its time to call it quits when the relationship ceases to be productive, when the partnership becomes a one-way street, and the creative becomes prescriptive. If the hard conversations aren’t fruitful consider parting ways. Give plenty of notice and walk away. Your accounting folks won’t be happy, but you will be.
Q #4:
Let’s say things don’t go well, and you decide to end the relationship.
How should your internal team prepare?
For larger companies it’s a RFI and RFP process, its dog and pony shows. At a minimum it takes 4- 6 months of prep work to go out to RFP and another 4-5 months to go through the RFP process. It’s creative presentations, it’s pricing, it’s contracts, and negotiation. For the agency folks, you know how much work goes into a new biz pitch, just as much goes into the RFI and RFP on the client side. And then on the client side, we must sift through all of the pitches and pricing to find the right match. Everyone on the client side has to align to creative approach, the team, the price structure, the term. Its exciting and exhausting.
Also know that most large companies have a Procurement Policy that can’t be avoided, we have to go out to RFP every 3-5 years no matter how good the relationship is. If the relationship is solid, it becomes an exercise. If the relationship is rocky, it might be time to bring in some fresh talent. For incumbent, I try to keep them out of a full RFP, after all we know each other and don’t want to derail existing projects.
Q #5:
*Deep Breath* It’s time. The breakup. How do you approach the conversation? Any advice?
First things first, it should never be a surprise.
The client and the agency should have been talking and communicating. The agency should know that things are not working and hopefully striving to fix it, but egos often get in the way. The convo is usually black and white once everyone has made the decision. Usually there’s some contract mumbo jumbo around termination notice, i.e. 60 days and a letter to confirm, followed up by scheduling a download call. Depending on the contract projects wind down, assets are exchanged, and a new agency is introduced. Often the “old” agency has to transfer files to the “new” agency. The hope is everything is done professionally. There are usually some transfer of ownership documents to be signed. Billing is wrapped up.
Agency folks, be professional and organized when you send over files. It’s a small world. Karma is bitch.
Q #6:
So you’re broken up. But what…happens next…
What plans do you put in place between your business and the agency? How do you define the transition?
The transition is defined in the “break up call” and we have a new agency ready to start, ready to take the old files and often “teed” up for the next campaign.
The transition is defined in your contract, so if you feel it coming, dust off the contract and take a look.
Q #7:
Before we go—Any stories you’d like to share that others could learn from?
Breaking up is one thing, how about keeping and growing the account?
Agency folk have the hard convos, insist on quarterly reviews, if the creative briefs miss, talk about why. If the creative brief doc is not quite right, make suggestions on how to make it better. If deadlines are an issue, talk about them. Know the brands must hit campaign dates, plan to them and then help with ad hoc requests. Proactively take ideas to the Client, they may not buy all of them, but when you hit a home run, it's golden. Bring value adds to the table. Don’t give away the farm, but when feasible say, I respect your budget, but it makes sense to do XYZ as a value add, AND TRACK THAT VALUE. Celebrate it a quarterly review. And then do again the next quarter—don’t be complacent. In the bigger relationships there may be multiple agencies involved. Partner with them where it makes sense. Understand the Media agency’s POV. Understand the PR agency’s role. Create the campaign holistically and everyone will win. Not saying to step on toes, but partner; play nice in the sandbox.
Understand the agency players. Read the tea leaves. Agency folk, you guys are smart, a new CMO comes on board, know you need to earn the work again. You need to build a new relationship. Its not a given you keep the work. When key players are added to the team, understand the role, schedule a 1:1 and ask how you can help them succeed.
How to win an RFP—think about your submission. Put yourself in the shoes of the client, how will you make their life easier. How will you make them a hero to the team, their boss and the shareholders. Identify where you fall short and how will you compensate—put it out there, you don’t have a team in the UK, but here’s a solution. Bring the team that will work on their business to the pitch, let them talk too. If you have a new biz person, make them stay in their lane. The reality (and the potential client knows) is that they will not be the day to day. If you have a pitch deck, customize it. Take the time to find case studies that are relevant, if you have a random case study, you just have to show, tell the client why, don’t assume they can connect the dots. Show that you’ve done your homework. Don’t just pull the pitch deck off the shared drive and present it. Tell the story that is relevant to the client. Do you know how boring it is to sit through a pitch that has nothing to do with our brand?
I just sat through and RFP review and here are some quotes I jotted down— “More expensive but requires less hand holding” “Team very flexible some of their ideas felt too traditional/we would be moving backwards” “They understand the ask, can hit the ground running.” RFPs are not always about money, its about doing good work.
——
✨ Well, there you have it folks. [WORDS OF WISDOM] ✨
We asked experienced marketers to explore the lifecycle of client-agency relationships from their client perspective. Join us as we delve into topics like Finding the Right Agency, Collaborating Effectively, and yes, even Parting Ways (the dreaded breakup).
Meet Joyce
In Part One & Part Two of our Agency Relationship Series, we've covered courting to the honeymoon phase, to collaborating as partners. But what if it's just not a fit? *Cue breakup*
We sat down with Joyce Whitney, tenacious problem solver, self-proclaimed "cat person with dogs", and Senior Procurement Manager - Global Marketing, Media & Advertising at McCormick & Company. Read along as Joyce walks us through the hardest part of relationships, parting ways.
——
Q #1:
Tell us about yourself and how you got here.
And, what's your background working with agencies?
I don’t have a sexy story about the burning desire to be in advertising from the time I was seven and this was my dream come true. Much less dramatic.
After a couple years in college putzing around with a psych degree, I wandered into an advertising major, and it just really stuck. (Not even sure what an advertising degree buys you?) I realized early on that experience was key, so I spent a lot of time figuring out how to get my foot in a door, any door. My first job paid a whopping $5.50/hour. I bought media in a small agency outside of Baltimore. They had a bunch of government accounts, a commercial nursery account, and supplements account. The whole shebang was run by an oddly charming, but somewhat eccentric couple. He was a lifelong ad guy, and she was a high school teacher who married late in life for money. It had the makings of a bad sitcom—very dysfunctional, but wildly fun.
I watched and learned. Because it was a small agency, I bought media, but also did a bunch of other things. I learned about paste-up, commercial photo shoots, copywriting, media big and small, printing, deadlines, vendors. It was magical, like Disney magical. The smell of waxer left on overnight, the smell of bluelines fresh from a printer, paper samples, sourcing actors, finding props…. hitting deadlines, missing deadlines, and so many passionate, smart, quirky people. I zigged and zagged a bit—a couple years managing a creative services team for a Catholic non-profit, all things print production at an ad agency in Annapolis, more direct mail than I ever imagined possible at an agency in DC. I spent 11 years in a big agency in Baltimore working on big brands. I zigged again to an ad agency in Columbia that did mostly NSA/government type work. Super-secret, mostly digital, way out of my comfort zone. More watching and learning as I dove into digital production with web developers, nerdy coders and designers making graphics for the POTUS. All along I never stopped learning about clients, their brands, about production, suppliers and people. Putting all the puzzle pieces together is a challenge that I embraced.
And then I jumped over to the corporate side of things managing a creative team at Pandora (jewelry not radio) and all the while managing vendors in a corporate setting, which they call Procurement. And then I moved over to a tech company and now CPG.
I think I’ve had the best career imaginable because of all the people I’ve known along the way. So creative and smart.
Q #2:
Let's face it, sometimes an agency partner just isn't the right fit. As a client, what are some signs that the relationship isn't working?
It's the same thing with your best friend’s boyfriend, its all wonderful until its not.
At first the agency can do no wrong. If the creative missed the mark, it was our fault the brief was bad, if the budget runs over, we find money. Generally, the Agency/Client relationship hits its stride, and the give and take are mutual, you do good work, with good budgets and good timelines.
Because I’m Procurement and am on the outside and not in day-to-day, I start to hear rumblings late in the game. The conversations turn to “they want more money” “they need more time…” Best I can, I try to fix the relationship and understand what has changed. Did some significant leave the agency or get taken off the account? Fixing is key, because it’s a pain in the ass switch agencies, it is not something taken lightly.
Q #3:
When you notice a misalignment with your agency partner, how do you get things back on track?
How do you know if the relationship can be mended? How do you know when it’s time to call it quits?
It really is zeroing on the problem and sitting down to mutually figure out a workable solution.
Lots of time it’s staffing, key people leave the account and either haven’t’ been replaced or the replacement just isn’t right. Or the chemistry isn’t there. Or there’s a process that’s broken and needs to be revisited. Fix things on both sides in the moment, don’t let them fester. Have those “hard conversations” make them two-way conversations and find solutions.
Agency folk, I promise you, the Client side wants to fix the problem. Tell the Client that their creative briefs suck; share ownership of missed timelines; staff the account to do good work; price the work to make both sides happy, but don’t be greedy. If its staffing, include the client in interview process, if its budgets, be creative, suggest outsourcing a production component or photoshoots for multiple campaigns at the same time. Embrace all things “partnership.”
Its time to call it quits when the relationship ceases to be productive, when the partnership becomes a one-way street, and the creative becomes prescriptive. If the hard conversations aren’t fruitful consider parting ways. Give plenty of notice and walk away. Your accounting folks won’t be happy, but you will be.
Q #4:
Let’s say things don’t go well, and you decide to end the relationship.
How should your internal team prepare?
For larger companies it’s a RFI and RFP process, its dog and pony shows. At a minimum it takes 4- 6 months of prep work to go out to RFP and another 4-5 months to go through the RFP process. It’s creative presentations, it’s pricing, it’s contracts, and negotiation. For the agency folks, you know how much work goes into a new biz pitch, just as much goes into the RFI and RFP on the client side. And then on the client side, we must sift through all of the pitches and pricing to find the right match. Everyone on the client side has to align to creative approach, the team, the price structure, the term. Its exciting and exhausting.
Also know that most large companies have a Procurement Policy that can’t be avoided, we have to go out to RFP every 3-5 years no matter how good the relationship is. If the relationship is solid, it becomes an exercise. If the relationship is rocky, it might be time to bring in some fresh talent. For incumbent, I try to keep them out of a full RFP, after all we know each other and don’t want to derail existing projects.
Q #5:
*Deep Breath* It’s time. The breakup. How do you approach the conversation? Any advice?
First things first, it should never be a surprise.
The client and the agency should have been talking and communicating. The agency should know that things are not working and hopefully striving to fix it, but egos often get in the way. The convo is usually black and white once everyone has made the decision. Usually there’s some contract mumbo jumbo around termination notice, i.e. 60 days and a letter to confirm, followed up by scheduling a download call. Depending on the contract projects wind down, assets are exchanged, and a new agency is introduced. Often the “old” agency has to transfer files to the “new” agency. The hope is everything is done professionally. There are usually some transfer of ownership documents to be signed. Billing is wrapped up.
Agency folks, be professional and organized when you send over files. It’s a small world. Karma is bitch.
Q #6:
So you’re broken up. But what…happens next…
What plans do you put in place between your business and the agency? How do you define the transition?
The transition is defined in the “break up call” and we have a new agency ready to start, ready to take the old files and often “teed” up for the next campaign.
The transition is defined in your contract, so if you feel it coming, dust off the contract and take a look.
Q #7:
Before we go—Any stories you’d like to share that others could learn from?
Breaking up is one thing, how about keeping and growing the account?
Agency folk have the hard convos, insist on quarterly reviews, if the creative briefs miss, talk about why. If the creative brief doc is not quite right, make suggestions on how to make it better. If deadlines are an issue, talk about them. Know the brands must hit campaign dates, plan to them and then help with ad hoc requests. Proactively take ideas to the Client, they may not buy all of them, but when you hit a home run, it's golden. Bring value adds to the table. Don’t give away the farm, but when feasible say, I respect your budget, but it makes sense to do XYZ as a value add, AND TRACK THAT VALUE. Celebrate it a quarterly review. And then do again the next quarter—don’t be complacent. In the bigger relationships there may be multiple agencies involved. Partner with them where it makes sense. Understand the Media agency’s POV. Understand the PR agency’s role. Create the campaign holistically and everyone will win. Not saying to step on toes, but partner; play nice in the sandbox.
Understand the agency players. Read the tea leaves. Agency folk, you guys are smart, a new CMO comes on board, know you need to earn the work again. You need to build a new relationship. Its not a given you keep the work. When key players are added to the team, understand the role, schedule a 1:1 and ask how you can help them succeed.
How to win an RFP—think about your submission. Put yourself in the shoes of the client, how will you make their life easier. How will you make them a hero to the team, their boss and the shareholders. Identify where you fall short and how will you compensate—put it out there, you don’t have a team in the UK, but here’s a solution. Bring the team that will work on their business to the pitch, let them talk too. If you have a new biz person, make them stay in their lane. The reality (and the potential client knows) is that they will not be the day to day. If you have a pitch deck, customize it. Take the time to find case studies that are relevant, if you have a random case study, you just have to show, tell the client why, don’t assume they can connect the dots. Show that you’ve done your homework. Don’t just pull the pitch deck off the shared drive and present it. Tell the story that is relevant to the client. Do you know how boring it is to sit through a pitch that has nothing to do with our brand?
I just sat through and RFP review and here are some quotes I jotted down— “More expensive but requires less hand holding” “Team very flexible some of their ideas felt too traditional/we would be moving backwards” “They understand the ask, can hit the ground running.” RFPs are not always about money, its about doing good work.
——
✨ Well, there you have it folks. [WORDS OF WISDOM] ✨
We asked experienced marketers to explore the lifecycle of client-agency relationships from their client perspective. Join us as we delve into topics like Finding the Right Agency, Collaborating Effectively, and yes, even Parting Ways (the dreaded breakup).
Meet Joyce
In Part One & Part Two of our Agency Relationship Series, we've covered courting to the honeymoon phase, to collaborating as partners. But what if it's just not a fit? *Cue breakup*
We sat down with Joyce Whitney, tenacious problem solver, self-proclaimed "cat person with dogs", and Senior Procurement Manager - Global Marketing, Media & Advertising at McCormick & Company. Read along as Joyce walks us through the hardest part of relationships, parting ways.
——
Q #1:
Tell us about yourself and how you got here.
And, what's your background working with agencies?
I don’t have a sexy story about the burning desire to be in advertising from the time I was seven and this was my dream come true. Much less dramatic.
After a couple years in college putzing around with a psych degree, I wandered into an advertising major, and it just really stuck. (Not even sure what an advertising degree buys you?) I realized early on that experience was key, so I spent a lot of time figuring out how to get my foot in a door, any door. My first job paid a whopping $5.50/hour. I bought media in a small agency outside of Baltimore. They had a bunch of government accounts, a commercial nursery account, and supplements account. The whole shebang was run by an oddly charming, but somewhat eccentric couple. He was a lifelong ad guy, and she was a high school teacher who married late in life for money. It had the makings of a bad sitcom—very dysfunctional, but wildly fun.
I watched and learned. Because it was a small agency, I bought media, but also did a bunch of other things. I learned about paste-up, commercial photo shoots, copywriting, media big and small, printing, deadlines, vendors. It was magical, like Disney magical. The smell of waxer left on overnight, the smell of bluelines fresh from a printer, paper samples, sourcing actors, finding props…. hitting deadlines, missing deadlines, and so many passionate, smart, quirky people. I zigged and zagged a bit—a couple years managing a creative services team for a Catholic non-profit, all things print production at an ad agency in Annapolis, more direct mail than I ever imagined possible at an agency in DC. I spent 11 years in a big agency in Baltimore working on big brands. I zigged again to an ad agency in Columbia that did mostly NSA/government type work. Super-secret, mostly digital, way out of my comfort zone. More watching and learning as I dove into digital production with web developers, nerdy coders and designers making graphics for the POTUS. All along I never stopped learning about clients, their brands, about production, suppliers and people. Putting all the puzzle pieces together is a challenge that I embraced.
And then I jumped over to the corporate side of things managing a creative team at Pandora (jewelry not radio) and all the while managing vendors in a corporate setting, which they call Procurement. And then I moved over to a tech company and now CPG.
I think I’ve had the best career imaginable because of all the people I’ve known along the way. So creative and smart.
Q #2:
Let's face it, sometimes an agency partner just isn't the right fit. As a client, what are some signs that the relationship isn't working?
It's the same thing with your best friend’s boyfriend, its all wonderful until its not.
At first the agency can do no wrong. If the creative missed the mark, it was our fault the brief was bad, if the budget runs over, we find money. Generally, the Agency/Client relationship hits its stride, and the give and take are mutual, you do good work, with good budgets and good timelines.
Because I’m Procurement and am on the outside and not in day-to-day, I start to hear rumblings late in the game. The conversations turn to “they want more money” “they need more time…” Best I can, I try to fix the relationship and understand what has changed. Did some significant leave the agency or get taken off the account? Fixing is key, because it’s a pain in the ass switch agencies, it is not something taken lightly.
Q #3:
When you notice a misalignment with your agency partner, how do you get things back on track?
How do you know if the relationship can be mended? How do you know when it’s time to call it quits?
It really is zeroing on the problem and sitting down to mutually figure out a workable solution.
Lots of time it’s staffing, key people leave the account and either haven’t’ been replaced or the replacement just isn’t right. Or the chemistry isn’t there. Or there’s a process that’s broken and needs to be revisited. Fix things on both sides in the moment, don’t let them fester. Have those “hard conversations” make them two-way conversations and find solutions.
Agency folk, I promise you, the Client side wants to fix the problem. Tell the Client that their creative briefs suck; share ownership of missed timelines; staff the account to do good work; price the work to make both sides happy, but don’t be greedy. If its staffing, include the client in interview process, if its budgets, be creative, suggest outsourcing a production component or photoshoots for multiple campaigns at the same time. Embrace all things “partnership.”
Its time to call it quits when the relationship ceases to be productive, when the partnership becomes a one-way street, and the creative becomes prescriptive. If the hard conversations aren’t fruitful consider parting ways. Give plenty of notice and walk away. Your accounting folks won’t be happy, but you will be.
Q #4:
Let’s say things don’t go well, and you decide to end the relationship.
How should your internal team prepare?
For larger companies it’s a RFI and RFP process, its dog and pony shows. At a minimum it takes 4- 6 months of prep work to go out to RFP and another 4-5 months to go through the RFP process. It’s creative presentations, it’s pricing, it’s contracts, and negotiation. For the agency folks, you know how much work goes into a new biz pitch, just as much goes into the RFI and RFP on the client side. And then on the client side, we must sift through all of the pitches and pricing to find the right match. Everyone on the client side has to align to creative approach, the team, the price structure, the term. Its exciting and exhausting.
Also know that most large companies have a Procurement Policy that can’t be avoided, we have to go out to RFP every 3-5 years no matter how good the relationship is. If the relationship is solid, it becomes an exercise. If the relationship is rocky, it might be time to bring in some fresh talent. For incumbent, I try to keep them out of a full RFP, after all we know each other and don’t want to derail existing projects.
Q #5:
*Deep Breath* It’s time. The breakup. How do you approach the conversation? Any advice?
First things first, it should never be a surprise.
The client and the agency should have been talking and communicating. The agency should know that things are not working and hopefully striving to fix it, but egos often get in the way. The convo is usually black and white once everyone has made the decision. Usually there’s some contract mumbo jumbo around termination notice, i.e. 60 days and a letter to confirm, followed up by scheduling a download call. Depending on the contract projects wind down, assets are exchanged, and a new agency is introduced. Often the “old” agency has to transfer files to the “new” agency. The hope is everything is done professionally. There are usually some transfer of ownership documents to be signed. Billing is wrapped up.
Agency folks, be professional and organized when you send over files. It’s a small world. Karma is bitch.
Q #6:
So you’re broken up. But what…happens next…
What plans do you put in place between your business and the agency? How do you define the transition?
The transition is defined in the “break up call” and we have a new agency ready to start, ready to take the old files and often “teed” up for the next campaign.
The transition is defined in your contract, so if you feel it coming, dust off the contract and take a look.
Q #7:
Before we go—Any stories you’d like to share that others could learn from?
Breaking up is one thing, how about keeping and growing the account?
Agency folk have the hard convos, insist on quarterly reviews, if the creative briefs miss, talk about why. If the creative brief doc is not quite right, make suggestions on how to make it better. If deadlines are an issue, talk about them. Know the brands must hit campaign dates, plan to them and then help with ad hoc requests. Proactively take ideas to the Client, they may not buy all of them, but when you hit a home run, it's golden. Bring value adds to the table. Don’t give away the farm, but when feasible say, I respect your budget, but it makes sense to do XYZ as a value add, AND TRACK THAT VALUE. Celebrate it a quarterly review. And then do again the next quarter—don’t be complacent. In the bigger relationships there may be multiple agencies involved. Partner with them where it makes sense. Understand the Media agency’s POV. Understand the PR agency’s role. Create the campaign holistically and everyone will win. Not saying to step on toes, but partner; play nice in the sandbox.
Understand the agency players. Read the tea leaves. Agency folk, you guys are smart, a new CMO comes on board, know you need to earn the work again. You need to build a new relationship. Its not a given you keep the work. When key players are added to the team, understand the role, schedule a 1:1 and ask how you can help them succeed.
How to win an RFP—think about your submission. Put yourself in the shoes of the client, how will you make their life easier. How will you make them a hero to the team, their boss and the shareholders. Identify where you fall short and how will you compensate—put it out there, you don’t have a team in the UK, but here’s a solution. Bring the team that will work on their business to the pitch, let them talk too. If you have a new biz person, make them stay in their lane. The reality (and the potential client knows) is that they will not be the day to day. If you have a pitch deck, customize it. Take the time to find case studies that are relevant, if you have a random case study, you just have to show, tell the client why, don’t assume they can connect the dots. Show that you’ve done your homework. Don’t just pull the pitch deck off the shared drive and present it. Tell the story that is relevant to the client. Do you know how boring it is to sit through a pitch that has nothing to do with our brand?
I just sat through and RFP review and here are some quotes I jotted down— “More expensive but requires less hand holding” “Team very flexible some of their ideas felt too traditional/we would be moving backwards” “They understand the ask, can hit the ground running.” RFPs are not always about money, its about doing good work.
——
✨ Well, there you have it folks. [WORDS OF WISDOM] ✨
We asked experienced marketers to explore the lifecycle of client-agency relationships from their client perspective. Join us as we delve into topics like Finding the Right Agency, Collaborating Effectively, and yes, even Parting Ways (the dreaded breakup).
Meet Joyce
In Part One & Part Two of our Agency Relationship Series, we've covered courting to the honeymoon phase, to collaborating as partners. But what if it's just not a fit? *Cue breakup*
We sat down with Joyce Whitney, tenacious problem solver, self-proclaimed "cat person with dogs", and Senior Procurement Manager - Global Marketing, Media & Advertising at McCormick & Company. Read along as Joyce walks us through the hardest part of relationships, parting ways.
——
Q #1:
Tell us about yourself and how you got here.
And, what's your background working with agencies?
I don’t have a sexy story about the burning desire to be in advertising from the time I was seven and this was my dream come true. Much less dramatic.
After a couple years in college putzing around with a psych degree, I wandered into an advertising major, and it just really stuck. (Not even sure what an advertising degree buys you?) I realized early on that experience was key, so I spent a lot of time figuring out how to get my foot in a door, any door. My first job paid a whopping $5.50/hour. I bought media in a small agency outside of Baltimore. They had a bunch of government accounts, a commercial nursery account, and supplements account. The whole shebang was run by an oddly charming, but somewhat eccentric couple. He was a lifelong ad guy, and she was a high school teacher who married late in life for money. It had the makings of a bad sitcom—very dysfunctional, but wildly fun.
I watched and learned. Because it was a small agency, I bought media, but also did a bunch of other things. I learned about paste-up, commercial photo shoots, copywriting, media big and small, printing, deadlines, vendors. It was magical, like Disney magical. The smell of waxer left on overnight, the smell of bluelines fresh from a printer, paper samples, sourcing actors, finding props…. hitting deadlines, missing deadlines, and so many passionate, smart, quirky people. I zigged and zagged a bit—a couple years managing a creative services team for a Catholic non-profit, all things print production at an ad agency in Annapolis, more direct mail than I ever imagined possible at an agency in DC. I spent 11 years in a big agency in Baltimore working on big brands. I zigged again to an ad agency in Columbia that did mostly NSA/government type work. Super-secret, mostly digital, way out of my comfort zone. More watching and learning as I dove into digital production with web developers, nerdy coders and designers making graphics for the POTUS. All along I never stopped learning about clients, their brands, about production, suppliers and people. Putting all the puzzle pieces together is a challenge that I embraced.
And then I jumped over to the corporate side of things managing a creative team at Pandora (jewelry not radio) and all the while managing vendors in a corporate setting, which they call Procurement. And then I moved over to a tech company and now CPG.
I think I’ve had the best career imaginable because of all the people I’ve known along the way. So creative and smart.
Q #2:
Let's face it, sometimes an agency partner just isn't the right fit. As a client, what are some signs that the relationship isn't working?
It's the same thing with your best friend’s boyfriend, its all wonderful until its not.
At first the agency can do no wrong. If the creative missed the mark, it was our fault the brief was bad, if the budget runs over, we find money. Generally, the Agency/Client relationship hits its stride, and the give and take are mutual, you do good work, with good budgets and good timelines.
Because I’m Procurement and am on the outside and not in day-to-day, I start to hear rumblings late in the game. The conversations turn to “they want more money” “they need more time…” Best I can, I try to fix the relationship and understand what has changed. Did some significant leave the agency or get taken off the account? Fixing is key, because it’s a pain in the ass switch agencies, it is not something taken lightly.
Q #3:
When you notice a misalignment with your agency partner, how do you get things back on track?
How do you know if the relationship can be mended? How do you know when it’s time to call it quits?
It really is zeroing on the problem and sitting down to mutually figure out a workable solution.
Lots of time it’s staffing, key people leave the account and either haven’t’ been replaced or the replacement just isn’t right. Or the chemistry isn’t there. Or there’s a process that’s broken and needs to be revisited. Fix things on both sides in the moment, don’t let them fester. Have those “hard conversations” make them two-way conversations and find solutions.
Agency folk, I promise you, the Client side wants to fix the problem. Tell the Client that their creative briefs suck; share ownership of missed timelines; staff the account to do good work; price the work to make both sides happy, but don’t be greedy. If its staffing, include the client in interview process, if its budgets, be creative, suggest outsourcing a production component or photoshoots for multiple campaigns at the same time. Embrace all things “partnership.”
Its time to call it quits when the relationship ceases to be productive, when the partnership becomes a one-way street, and the creative becomes prescriptive. If the hard conversations aren’t fruitful consider parting ways. Give plenty of notice and walk away. Your accounting folks won’t be happy, but you will be.
Q #4:
Let’s say things don’t go well, and you decide to end the relationship.
How should your internal team prepare?
For larger companies it’s a RFI and RFP process, its dog and pony shows. At a minimum it takes 4- 6 months of prep work to go out to RFP and another 4-5 months to go through the RFP process. It’s creative presentations, it’s pricing, it’s contracts, and negotiation. For the agency folks, you know how much work goes into a new biz pitch, just as much goes into the RFI and RFP on the client side. And then on the client side, we must sift through all of the pitches and pricing to find the right match. Everyone on the client side has to align to creative approach, the team, the price structure, the term. Its exciting and exhausting.
Also know that most large companies have a Procurement Policy that can’t be avoided, we have to go out to RFP every 3-5 years no matter how good the relationship is. If the relationship is solid, it becomes an exercise. If the relationship is rocky, it might be time to bring in some fresh talent. For incumbent, I try to keep them out of a full RFP, after all we know each other and don’t want to derail existing projects.
Q #5:
*Deep Breath* It’s time. The breakup. How do you approach the conversation? Any advice?
First things first, it should never be a surprise.
The client and the agency should have been talking and communicating. The agency should know that things are not working and hopefully striving to fix it, but egos often get in the way. The convo is usually black and white once everyone has made the decision. Usually there’s some contract mumbo jumbo around termination notice, i.e. 60 days and a letter to confirm, followed up by scheduling a download call. Depending on the contract projects wind down, assets are exchanged, and a new agency is introduced. Often the “old” agency has to transfer files to the “new” agency. The hope is everything is done professionally. There are usually some transfer of ownership documents to be signed. Billing is wrapped up.
Agency folks, be professional and organized when you send over files. It’s a small world. Karma is bitch.
Q #6:
So you’re broken up. But what…happens next…
What plans do you put in place between your business and the agency? How do you define the transition?
The transition is defined in the “break up call” and we have a new agency ready to start, ready to take the old files and often “teed” up for the next campaign.
The transition is defined in your contract, so if you feel it coming, dust off the contract and take a look.
Q #7:
Before we go—Any stories you’d like to share that others could learn from?
Breaking up is one thing, how about keeping and growing the account?
Agency folk have the hard convos, insist on quarterly reviews, if the creative briefs miss, talk about why. If the creative brief doc is not quite right, make suggestions on how to make it better. If deadlines are an issue, talk about them. Know the brands must hit campaign dates, plan to them and then help with ad hoc requests. Proactively take ideas to the Client, they may not buy all of them, but when you hit a home run, it's golden. Bring value adds to the table. Don’t give away the farm, but when feasible say, I respect your budget, but it makes sense to do XYZ as a value add, AND TRACK THAT VALUE. Celebrate it a quarterly review. And then do again the next quarter—don’t be complacent. In the bigger relationships there may be multiple agencies involved. Partner with them where it makes sense. Understand the Media agency’s POV. Understand the PR agency’s role. Create the campaign holistically and everyone will win. Not saying to step on toes, but partner; play nice in the sandbox.
Understand the agency players. Read the tea leaves. Agency folk, you guys are smart, a new CMO comes on board, know you need to earn the work again. You need to build a new relationship. Its not a given you keep the work. When key players are added to the team, understand the role, schedule a 1:1 and ask how you can help them succeed.
How to win an RFP—think about your submission. Put yourself in the shoes of the client, how will you make their life easier. How will you make them a hero to the team, their boss and the shareholders. Identify where you fall short and how will you compensate—put it out there, you don’t have a team in the UK, but here’s a solution. Bring the team that will work on their business to the pitch, let them talk too. If you have a new biz person, make them stay in their lane. The reality (and the potential client knows) is that they will not be the day to day. If you have a pitch deck, customize it. Take the time to find case studies that are relevant, if you have a random case study, you just have to show, tell the client why, don’t assume they can connect the dots. Show that you’ve done your homework. Don’t just pull the pitch deck off the shared drive and present it. Tell the story that is relevant to the client. Do you know how boring it is to sit through a pitch that has nothing to do with our brand?
I just sat through and RFP review and here are some quotes I jotted down— “More expensive but requires less hand holding” “Team very flexible some of their ideas felt too traditional/we would be moving backwards” “They understand the ask, can hit the ground running.” RFPs are not always about money, its about doing good work.
——
✨ Well, there you have it folks. [WORDS OF WISDOM] ✨
Ready for more? Keep bantering.
