Looking back a couple of decades ago, the roles of Marketers and the advertising agencies have completely changed over the years globally. In advanced economies, there has been a huge shift of power of managing the brand from the client to the agency side.
The influence has mostly mushroomed from the demonstrated ability of agencies to design and deliver effective campaigns with favourable and in some cases overwhelming Return on Advertising Investment. Over the years, agency networks like FCB Africa and Ogilvy have amassed huge amount of control over the brands they manage globally.
It has been a different story when one comes to Africa and more so Malawi. Despite such advances in agency/client relationship internationally, Malawi has not registered much progress in developing the advertising agency industry to amass the power and capacity to effectively manage local marketing programs.
Having been in the field for twelve years now, The Eleven Lines has made a few observations that may have added to this problem.
Firstly, while one would expect that charity should begin at home, marketers themselves sitting on the client side have actively decided to lose confidence in the agency machinery for a number of reasons. One marketer openly shared with The Eleven Lines that they know agencies can do a better job but their major fear is that management will find the marketers role irrelevant.
Now this is a seriously wrong notion and must never go across a marketers mind if they are to succeed. I did share with this marketer that his thinking may also apply to his subordinates. If he hires bright junior marketers, his role may not be relevant at some point if management views it so.
This insecurity comes in when one does not fully comprehend his or her role in the business interfacing with the agency. It is an open secret that smart leaders always engage smart teams to deliver smart projects. In the same light of thought, engaging a smart agency with clearly outlined and marked goal posts creates time for marketers to focus on more strategic issues rather than chasing media bookings or mounting Corporate Social investment project.
Secondly, there has been a mushrooming of brief case agencies that sprout from one strength. One great graphic designer may one morning decide to open an agency and code it a three sixty (360) when their real strength it to do graphics. As such entrusted with a big campaign, such agencies are bound to fail and unfortunately the marketer (client) may view all agencies with one set of lens.
It is therefore always fundamentally upright for marketers on the clients’ side to seriously and rigorously assess the agencies that they are going to bed with to avoid “malfunctionality” of the business relationship.
Thirdly, the “my cut syndrome” is killing the industry in Malawi as Marketers have decided to work with briefcase agencies who are ready and willing to puff up budgets to accommodate the cut. Whilst in some advanced economies, “It-was-a-pleasure-doing-business-with-you” (a token gift given to the Marketing Manager or Director) is an acceptable practice with properly documented procedures, the local practice in purely aimed at gratification of ones financial desires at the expense of the company’s performance.
Fourthly, The Eleven Lines, considers government as a seriously critical stakeholder in ensuring that this industry is vibrant as it is a potentially big industry that can contribute to national growth contribution of the government’s through taxes. Government needs to consider policies aimed at regulating the marketing profession and its associated industries just like the rest of the professions to ensure professionalism and accountability on the return on investment (ROI) made in marketing. It is very saddening to see the quality of work that government gets when a marketing activity is involved.
It is The Eleven lines’ frame of operation to always point at problems and provide a few suggestions to correct the problem. Whilst, The Eleven Lines believes that the problems highlighted above are purely mounted on the wrong perception of the agency and client relationship, the first thing we need to deal with is to change this wrong perception.
There are several success stories locally from big brands such as Total, Malawi, Toyota, Sunbird, Airtel, Standard Bank, TNM, MTL etc which are managed by well-established agencies. Marketers do not need to go far to resound the fruits of a working relationship between agency and client.
Once the perception is changed, the right agency selected, the next thing is to put together a body that set standards and jealously monitors the compliance to have a behaved industry. This is where government plays a huge role.
The Eleven Lines looks forward to the day advertising industry will be well structured and functioning properly.
Word from The Eleven lines
“Where one is not sure or does not know, ASK, and am sure a few knowledgeable heads will point you in the right direction. The Eleven Lines is available should there be such a need”
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