Integrated Marketing – Who Takes the Lead?

There seems to be universal agreement among marketers that integrated programs have greater impact, higher efficiency and are where their organizations are headed. (See June 2, 2009 blog entry)

How they achieve the benefits of integration is vastly different. Semantics and understanding may play a part, as well as the organizational structure and reporting relationships. Agency relationships and assignments also play a keen role in how and where integration occurs. There a good number of internal roadblocks that slow or stop the process, including:

• silo mentality/turf protection – brand; marketing services, etc.
• agency loyalties
• traditional mar-com models – e.g. General agency is the big dog
• reporting relationships - is corporate communications part of marketing?
• Short CMO Tenure – many won’t take this on, not wanting to waste time on ‘internal’ issues

So WHO should be responsible for the integration process? Integration is not merely an exercise to reallocate, reduce or optimize the media buy. It is not a budgeting exercise or agency reward for past good work. Rather it is a critical reassessment of the Go to Market communications, their role, interplay and importance to the customer.

The customer. Hmmmm, that seems like a good place to start. Isn’t the role of marketing to understand and nurture the needs, wants and desires of customers? Also, marketing is intended to be the customer advocate back to the business – the product managers and researchers who should be creating products that fulfill customer utile needs.

SO here is my list of steps in lining up resources to create an integrated marketing approach:
• Align around the customer. They are in ultimately in charge of your fate, so why not respond to them? They will tell you that integrated communication IS how they want to receive information
• A client representative, with appropriate and direct authority, should lead the integration across all disciplines
• Integration must include all audiences and constituencies served. Best to start with Thought Leaders and work your way down.
• Remain open for innovative approaches, even when they are not required.
• Measure everything and share results, metrics and accountability

Okay, so you are organized and ready to go! There are some other consideration and landmines to be aware of:

- Agency Compensation - There are bound to be agency concerns over fee dollars, especially as they link output (ads, brochures, etc.) with success and $. - You must fix the agreements to fairly compensate each agency for its contribution and ideas before you get too far.
- Decoupling of media from creative has forced us further away from the customer. Seek to bring them together, especially early in the process.
- Customers have seemingly limitless ways to obtain content, information and marketing messages. As marketers, it is our responsibility to communicate in the way and format that suits the customer best.
- Keep ALL in the Know – it is imperative that the client includes ALL agencies in information sharing and status.

The first campaign will be by far the hardest. But if you are inclusive, firm in your direction and share information openly, success will break silos and agency roles. You must be prepared for some old fashioned hard work to achieve your goals, overcome the reluctance and internal politics.

When the customer responds, your success will be clear!

Good Luck!

Marketing Leverage LLC has developed and executed a number of integrated marketing programs involving product launch, strategic alliances and sponsorships in the B2B & B2C markets.

Rules for Agency – Client Happiness

Many advertising and marketing executives build their reputation upon the value of the customer relationship to the brand. Creating strategies, messages and offers that create, nurture, and reinforce that connection. Funny, if they spent a small portion of that effort on the agency relationship, how much easier the task might be and benefits they might realize.

Having worked with a wide range of agencies of all types, sizes and disciplines; I have experienced a number of common issues, irritations and sensitivities. The current economic and world situation has only heightened insecurity.
To start off a new year and decade, I offer up some simple guidelines and suggestions that will lead to better work and more satisfying working relationships. They may be simple and obvious; that does not mean they are easy to follow and implement!

• It’s a Relationship – That means both need each other, so you have to be able to trust and depend upon the other party. However, it is never an even relationship; both parties always feel they are contributing more. Be sure to raise the discussion when it feels too far out of balance, say 70/30
• Not a Partnership – each of you is ultimately accountable for something, so try to be mindful of the roles and competencies. Clients, try not to write copy or art direct. Agencies, be wary of clients who abdicate the marketing strategy development to you; it’s setup for trouble!
• Communication is Key – Listening is the most fundamental skill required; work hard at listening to each other. And take time to check for understanding. Did you hear correctly?
• Feedback & Reinforcement – Look for opportunities to say “Thank you” and provide positive comments, EVERYDAY. Continuous negative feedback corrodes the relationship.
• Gifting – Try to surprise them once in a while for no reason, without being a holiday or other occasion (like a new product pitch). Good ideas, insights and thoughts demonstrate that you understand their needs and care about the relationship.
• 7 Second Delay - Please – Never, ever use bad words, or give feedback when you are angry. Once they are spoken or sent, you can never retrieve them – they hang in the air forever. Marketing is far more of an intuitive art form than engineering. Motivation and inspiration go farther than fear in getting good work
• Confront Issues Together – if and when you have problems, discuss it openly and honestly between yourselves. Don’t involve 3rd parties, even to vent. Doing so only magnifies the issue. NEVER mention ending the relationship, unless you are fully committed to that. Before that, any mention will only serve to weaken the partnership and put the agency further on the edge.
• Accountability – Affirm that the agency alone is responsible for creating impactful and effective – advertising, direct marketing, digital marketing, entertainment/sports marketing – campaigns, programs and plans. Oh yeah, and make sure you tell them that you truly believe they will do it.

Agencies and client have to work hard to keep the relationship fresh, vital and growing. The search and engagement process is quite protracted and lengthy – it should be avoided at all costs. If you have done the due diligence upfront, know each other and have good chemistry – it is very worth fixing any issues that surface along the way.

Splitting up is the easy way, but does not guarantee happiness.

Moving Towards a True Integrated Marketing Philosophy

Raise the topic of integrated marketing among marketer and watch heads nod briskly. It is not so clear if it is in acknowledgment of the fundamental soundness and pragmatic value or in application. It seems that few brands and companies really understand and embrace the practice.

Why is this? Surely we have moved past the naive understanding that ‘integrated’ meant all creative executions looked similar and were delivered to the market around the same time. Despite the rational support for implementing integrated marketing, there are some institutional boundaries that restrict it.

I suspect that many CMOs grew up in business with TV as the pinnacle of brand marketing activities; just now are we seeing senior marketers who have been “digital” for most of their life. These factors are not easy to overcome, but will as the next generation of CMOs emerges. In addition, the advertising world still portrays the big general agency who does TV and Print with greater reverence and esteem. These factors, plus agency compensation models have made true integrated marketing difficult.

So what is wrong with this approach, you ask? Let’s examine a typical approach for a brand campaign.

1. The general agency (as the lead agency) participates in developing or tweaking the Brand Positioning, from which the Big Idea is established.
2. The general agency develops TV Story Boards and Executions, with CMO and Senior Marketing staff involvement.
3. Other media leads (digital, direct marketing, PR, shopper, sponsorship, etc.) are then tasked with adapting the TV idea; too often via awkward agency to agency briefings.
4. Media planners is left to stitch together a cohesive plan by sequencing buys.

Rather than the waterfall cascade from TV to other communication, would it not be a better use of resources to have all agencies and marketers participate in the brand positioning and big idea development? With today’s multi-touch media and multi-channel distribution model, it is necessary to include broader viewpoints than just that of the TV audience. This will also enable media centered ideas to emerge upfront; critical with the plethora of social web choices available.

By engaging broader agency and brand resources to participate in evolving the campaign ideas, a richer and more vibrant discussion will ensue. The potential of having smart creative people build upon each other and create synergistic and linked programs is significant. No one agency or media form has a lock on good thinking, if we are open the possibilities. And, given the new media horizon the traditional approach has to be scrapped, since niche to mass is becoming a more common pattern.

No doubt, this will require advertisers and brands to take a very clear and firm stance with their agencies that all planning will be done in a collaborative and integrated manner. (Not to mention the ego soothing and hand holding needed). But the biggest challenge may lie with agency structures and compensation.

An ideal scenario might be one where a brand works with an agency holding company and defines the types of resources desired. It is up to that holding company to provide a ‘virtual team’ of the best and proper people at any given time to meet the needs. This could involve a mish-mash of people from general, media planning, digital etc. across their organization. Many boutique agencies follow this pattern now – working with strategic partners to supply critical resources a project requires, but not charging the client when not needed.

I expect the agency issue is not easy to resolve, but when enough client’s demand that approach it will be. The most critical opportunity is for clients to make the move to true integrated marketing for it is a better approach in meeting customer needs and maximizing the relationship and ultimately shareholder value