Agency Whispering - Virtual

Seats are limited and confirmation of attendance will be required in advance of the session.

One of the most important determinants of success for a marketer is the ability to work effectively and get the best out of an agency. After all, if the agency is doing great work, it will have a huge multiplier effect on the overall marketing budget and provide the brand with a clear competitive advantage. But that advantage is put at risk when marketer/agency relationships underperform or run awry.

Unfortunately, very few marketers receive any formal training on how to manage this relationship outside of mirroring the actions of their superiors (who often likewise did not receive formal training). or looking to other departments like procurement for guidance. But marketers soon find out that the techniques used to manage suppliers are woefully inadequate for an agency, which poses completely different management challenges.

It’s easy to assume that all underperformance is the agency’s fault, and that the solution lies in switching out the team servicing the account or even finding a new agency. But if the problems were caused by improper agency management, they will resurface with the new team or agency, and this will eventually bring consequences for both the brand and the marketer. The good news is that managing the agency is not difficult if you understand the underlying dynamics and motivations that drive agency performance.

In this highly interactive workshop, led by a 30-year veteran of Leo Burnett as well as brands like Unilever, SC Johnson, and Kellogg’s, marketing, marcom, and advertising managers will learn what makes managing the agency different from dealing with other suppliers, and how to inspire great work. They will learn the nine steps to effectively working with their agency partners that make up best practice, in order to avoid making the typical missteps that may have derailed projects in the past, and lead to more efficient and effective outcomes of marketer/creative collaboration.

Target Audience
This workshop is ideal for:

• Brand, Marketing, MarCom and Advertising Managers who work with an external or in-house Agency
• Procurement Managers who are involved in Agency fee negotiations

Download the full benefits here

• Welcome & Opening Remarks (10min)
• An analogy for perspective (5min)
• Why managing the agency is different (10min)
• Four typical mistakes in managing Agencies (20min)
• Working Effectively with the Agency (5min)
• Setting Expectations (10min)
• Setting Creative Goalposts (20min)
• Brief and Briefings (20min)
• BREAK (10min)
• Feedback and approvals (15min)
• Managing emergencies (15min)
• Managing Conflicts (15min)
• Rules of engagement (ROE) & Ensuring Accountability (20min)
• Closing (5min)