Changes Revealed
We have been living through a (hopefully) once-in-our-lifetime experience, bunkering down and protecting ourselves from the global pandemic. And because experience is the best source of learning, we now know that as the masks went on, lipstick went south, wine went north, and Amazon became even more frightening. We’ve also learned about the beautiful flexibility of stretchy pants and working from home.
As much as we should have been held down, we progressed in many ways beyond pervasive digital adoption that accelerated by almost a decade during this time Yet, that is merely the surface of our new normal.
Look, deeper at our lives.
When we can’t connect with others, we connect more with ourselves. Many of us took stock of our lives and our connections to those around us. This forced pause resulted in a re-ordering of life and priorities. More people retired. More moved to places they wanted to live. Many decided the culture where they worked was as important as the work itself. Others switched out of jobs they didn’t want, habits they weren’t proud of and relationships that were unhealthy. The importance of health, connection and love was reaffirmed and reigns supreme.
We continue to see signs that the experience economy, once thriving, has balanced with an emotional economy that was once lacking. An acute sense of values, personal and organizational, moved to the forefront. There was more awareness followed by progress on human equality than any year I can remember. Perhaps the greatest silver lining of all.
Look, at the people around us.
As the masks come off in our professional lives and the return to a more office-centric environment is imminent, a similar re-ordering is happening. Companies have re-committed to mission beyond sales. They realize that convenience and pay is not enough to keep good talent and loyal customers – core values that move and motivate us count now more than ever. Brand leaders face the reality that their resources, their marketing partners and creative agencies need to be re-ordered as well.
According to a recent AdAge survey, one in three brands will change agencies in the next six months. Intuitive math suggests that actual agency reviews and sourcing projects could impact a staggering 50% of brands in the next 12 months.
Look, at getting it right.
Change is both exciting and destabilizing, not without risk. With much at stake and many competitors arming up, it is critical for marketing leaders and their agencies to get it right. In a marketing supplier industry that has never been more complex, it is equally smart to tap into advertising industry expertise to accelerate options and guide the journey; to help design the reordered roster that aligns best with with emerging company culture and values, poised for the new normal. Doing so creates highly engaged teams of talented people who can connect in meaningful ways to come together (even when apart).
While capability and cost is a practical consideration, cultural values as part of the search and selection process elevates both the decision and the quality of work, time and time again.
Look, inside before outside.
Getting it right with agency, marketing and media partners starts with getting it right within your own walls. The first, critical step in supplier recruitment is ROJEK’s CultureFit™ process, leveraging real-time cultural assessment data to understand your company’s current cultural values and ambitions, growth triggers as well as the potential headwinds. We modeled this proprietary process from a platform created and validated within the M&A sector. We can compare and rank your current and desired culture map with those of potential best qualified agency candidates – all before either side is asked to invest in a relationship that was never wired for success.
Before you decide if you are part of the 50% who conducts a review, we’d be happy to discuss a CultureFit™ assessment to help you make the intangible aspect more tangible with data.
Forward thinking leaders will re-order teams of talent people and be ready to face the fresh, new world.
ROJEK offers advertising industry subject expertise with validated sourcing processes, proprietary data and in-market knowledge. We add strategic value to advertisers and CMO’s seeking to hire their top choice agencies to bring their re-ordered visions to life. This includes finding and recruiting ideal partners, accelerating go-to-market campaign development, maximizing value/benchmarking costs; we reduce the reduce the risk in making a change, false starts and team friction – all of which are critical to the pivot required for post-pandemic brand success.
Reordering the Roster? To receive our complimentary Agency Review Scope Planning Guide, please email Michael Goldberg.