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Christian
Barnett, Board Account Planner, Rainey Kelly Campbell Roalfe/Y&R
This paper
focuses on three key areas for discussion: firstly, what an agency delivers
to ensure a media-neutral campaign, secondly, what the optimum agency-client
structure to make integrated campaigns a reality, and thirdly the implications
for the agency team composition.
What
the Agency delivers
It is important
to deliver more than just the written definition of the 'creative idea',
and the advertising campaign. There needs to be an entire 'brand language'
which includes definition of the idea in a conceptual, linguistic (literally
examples of headlines and copy) and a visual way. The last is particularly
important as many integrated campaigns rely on a visual synergy to hold
them together, especially in media such as packaging, trade merchandising,
and other in-store design.
The best
approach to developing a 'brand language' is by means of a specifically
tailored 'style guide'. This ensures that an integrated solution can be
implemented not just sold. The style guide contains examples of how the
campaign is intended to work in various media (TV, outdoor, print, on-line,
trade, in-store, etc.). The idea, the visual look, the language and other
executional elements are dissected and explained so that they can be easily
reproduced.
The skill
lies in being able to produce an integrated campaign that has an idea
and a look. An idea with no look is difficult to replicate in many of
the static media. A look with no idea becomes hard to execute in a dynamic
media such as TV.
As a result,
a clear distinction is made between the integrated campaign style guide
and a traditional graphic designer's brand book. The latter may establish
a visual look but can be very difficult to create advertising to.
What
is the optimum Agency-Client 'Structure'
Some agency-client
structures are more helpful than others at facilitating media-neutral
campaigns. The least helpful scenario is that where a client keeps its
agencies in separate 'silos'. The different agency disciplines are kept
at arm's length, thereby stacking the odds against integrated thinking
and solutions.
On the
agency side, the least helpful scenario is one in which the agency develops
an idea, shows how it works in advertising and hands the execution back
over to the client. It is then up to the client to make it work in other
media. Often the idea will not have been rigorously road-tested inside
the agency and collapses as soon as it is taken to another media, either
through insufficient skill in the transportation or because another agency
has its own ideas and scuppers the 360 solution.
A more typical scenario is when the client selects a number of specialist
agencies. This way of working enables the client to pick 'best of breed'
agencies, but it is reliant on the different agencies working closely
together, something which at best requires considerable managing. In addition,
best of breed agencies with their own client contract will want to impress
so it is only natural that conflicts arise. This form of client-agency
structure can have huge pluses; genuine integration from best of breed,
but can easily go off the rails.
Another
favourable scenario is the client who wants a genuine one-stop agency
solution. A good example of this at RKCR/Y&R is the LEGO account. The
LEGO Company had too many agency relationships around the world and saw
a one stop global agency as a way to create totally integrated campaigns
coming from one brand. Their brief included an integral role for media
planning as part of the central creative function even though they already
had regional media planning in place. They recognised that to speak with
one brand voice throughout the world a one-team solution was the best
way forward.
To get
truly integrated ideas it is preferable to have all the disciplines under
one agency roof, all working for the same agency team and pulling together.
This ultimately means creative teams from different disciplines being
briefed and working side by side, inputting ideas into each other's discipline
in campaign development.
This thinking
carries over to media planning: account planners and media planners work
side by side to produce creative briefs and media shapes and then work
together with creative teams to develop the best creative route.
Ironically,
this structure is like a return to a full service agency, as it works
better when all key parties are in the same building. The LEGO account
pitch saw the RKCR/Y&R team working with the interactive specialists (2.1),
the communications planning team (TME 360), and so on. All the constituent
parts of the team were literally a stone's throw from each other so it
was easy to 'roll' ideas on in real time rather than have lots of lumbering
set piece meetings which can confuse and impede progress.
Implications
for composition of agency team
Inevitably,
the above has implications for the agency team composition. Creative teams
need to be open to other creative teams, from different disciplines, working
with them. Media planning needs to be brought into the process earlier
as a 'guide' for the media shape. Non-traditional, non-silo thinking is
essential and can be generated by including non-traditional, non-silo
people. There is likely to be a big visual component, so significant art
direction /design is required. But above very clear strategic and creative
direction is required to keep the creative development process on the
rails!
(c) Account
Planning Group 1995-2002
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