Agency Searches

Choosing a new agency is an important corporate and personal business decision; if managed poorly it can be time consuming, expensive and exhausting. There are literally hundreds of agencies across all communication disciplines ranging from those specialising in one core skill to others offering ‘multi-discipline media neutral solutions’.

IAS Search and Selection services are effective, time efficient and highly valuable for companies’ marketers and communications personnel. We offer unparalleled knowledge of the South African communications industry with complete confidentiality and impartiality.

We will help  write the pitch brief, recommend the most appropriate pitch format and selection criteria and advise on pitch fees, as well as contract and fee negotiation.

The IAS has expanded its bouquet of services to include agency search and selections into Africa, specifically Mozambique, Angola, Nigeria, Ghana and Botswana.

The IAS has five agency search products – the Flagship Pitch,  the Chemistry Pitch, the Tissue Pitch, the No Pitch, Pitch  and the Pitch in a Day Pitch.

Pitch Products - The Flagship Pitch

The Flagship Pitch is an in-depth agency search process taking approximately 9 weeks and is used primarily for creative and media agency searches.   

The Brief

We guide you through the construction of the agency brief, identifying your key criteria.  We develop the criteria for selection for each phase of the process and notify successful and non successful agencies at each stage of the process.

The Initial Report

We prepare a report on the agencies that fit your brief, summarising all key agency detail. You choose a selection of agencies (approx. 10) to view in more detail

Call For Specific Credentials

We issue a call for credentials brief to selected agencies. Meet with the IAS to discuss the agencies, view their tailored credentials and case studies, presentations plus any agency reels and portfolios. Formally evaluate each agency

The Chemistry Meetings

After your screening, you choose four to five agencies to visit in person: IAS will organise the chemistry sessions, prepare the chemistry  session briefs and brief the agencies concerned. Formally evaluate each agency.

The Pitch

You will now have identified a short list of agencies that you want to formally invite to pitch for your business.  The IAS will prepare the pitch brief, manage the pitch process including Q&A sessions with Client, planning and staging of the pitches and formal evaluation.

Final Appointment and Negotiation

We recommend that a remuneration negotiation take place with the two leading agencies following the final pitch session in order to ensure a strong pricing structure for both parties and a fair SLA. The winning  agency is appointed on the basis of chemistry, content of pitch and pricing. IAS will  facilitate the signing of contacts between the parties including remuneration structure, payment terms, exit clauses,  service level agreements, key performance measurements and so forth

Honeymoon Helper

Once the pitch process is completed and the successful agency is awarded the client’s business, a disconnect can occur between the two parties who are essentially entering into a brand new relationship where they have possibly only met twice before and in quite stressful circumstances.

As the early days of the agency client relationship are crucial to the on-going sustainability of that relationship, the IAS has identified a way for the IAS to remain involved, although very much in the background, during those first few weeks.

This low key facilitation enables the new relationship to flourish independently and with the maximum efficiency that is vital to the continued momentum of client’s brand or company.

The IAS has developed a unique product to address the immediate issues that clients experience, once a new agency has been appointed:

The Contract

The IAS ensures that the drawing up, agreement of and signing of the contract runs smoothly and efficiently and that all elements are detailed and addressed upfront including the service level agreement

The Handover

The IAS will facilitate the handover of all material from the previous agency to the new agency at client’s premises

Implementing the New Campaign Work

The IAS provides orientation, guidance and expertise for client when briefing in work to the new agency, understanding the agency’s systems, timings and costings

TLC Relationship Management Process

Healthy, long term relationships between clients and their advertising agencies produce better results, but the reality is that client/agency relationships are constantly being tested and often fail.  The IAS  understands the needs of both parties and in an effort to preserve the relationship between the client and agency, the IAS has an effective and proactive online management tool that is designed to evaluate the existing relationship, diagnose the problem areas and put a plan of action in place to fix them.

The TLC Process

1.Evaluate current client/agency relationship on a number of different factors and levels

2.Conduct 1 on 1 interviews with Key Client contacts and Key Agency Personnel

3.Both agency and client personnel complete the standard IAS client : agency evaluation criteria questionnaire (complete IAS TLC product)

4.The idea is for each party to evaluate the other party across a serious of questions and to also evaluate their own respective performances across those same criteria (self-evaluation).

5.Analysis and Presentation of results to both Client and Agency

6.Set specific objectives for the next six – twelve months and obtain agreement from both parties

7.Principles for Successful Relationships Presentation based on international research and input by IAS UK partners

The IAS focus is on the reporting of the results of the TLC exercise and presenting them to the client and agency together,  enabling all parties to formulate a strategy for future success in an open and constructive meeting.    Along with the results we make recommendations and put measurements in place for evaluation again at a later stage. We regard this facilitation session as the most valuable part of this process and several clients and agencies will attest to this.

TLC Relationship Management Process Factors

The TLC Process evaluates  current client/agency relationship on a number of different factors and levels – based on International and Local Research in terms of what makes and breaks Client : Agency relationships -   as follows :

•Quality of Agency input (creative, strategic planning, media strategy etc.)

•Quality of Client feedback

•Business understanding

•Media accuracy and processes

•Editorial

•Events

•Below the line services

•Adherence to deadlines

•Deliverables

•Quality of Client briefs

•Client approval times

•Costs and Pricing

•Client Agency dynamics

•Personnel (from both an agency and client perspective)

•Measuring Results

•Market and Competitive Landscape

•General administration

•Remuneration structures

•Other

TLC Relationship Management Process  Products

Complete IAS TLC products are available for the following type of agencies :

1.Creative Agency

2.PR Agency

3.Media Agency

4.Digital Agency

5.Below the Line Agency

6.Other – to be developed as and when required eg Activation Agency

7.Collaboration Amongst Agencies

8.Agency Roster Management

NOTE – Specific Client : Agency KPIs can be built into the existing TLC products

SnapShotSurvey

The SnapShot Relationship Management Survey is specifically designed to give a high level appraisal - SnapShot - as to the health of the relationship between Client and Agency across key criteria namely :

•Business understanding

•Agency output – creative, strategy, service

•Agency delivery and costs

•Client briefing and feedback

•Overall relationship

The survey will identify and flag any concerns before they develop into full blown issues if left unaddressed.

Both Client and Agency personnel complete the standard IAS SnapShot questionnaire with the idea being for each party to evaluate the other party across a few key questions and to also  evaluate their own respective performances across those same criteria (self-evaluation).    The IAS will then analyse the results and present to both parties at a joint session.   Along with the results, the IAS will make recommendations for evaluation again at a later stage.

Benchmarking

The IAS Benchmarking Product is designed for clients who would like to have some input on the pricing structures of their agencies, whether they are competitive, in line with norms within the agency industry, whether the methodologies for those pricing structures along with the retainer components are in line with other agencies.

Benchmarking Process

1.Initial client meeting, discussion around current costing methods

2.Examine existing costs in  detail across all incumbent agencies

3.Examine existing costs in more detail across all incumbent agencies

4.Comparison exercise to industry norms conducted utilising existing information gleaned from experience and information gathered during the various processes with which IAS is involved on an on-going basis

5.IAS report back and recommendations

6.Engagement with the agency regarding the IAS recommendations and thoughts on methodologies and discusses the outcome with IAS

Media Audit

The IAS formed a partnership in 2011 with Fairbrother Lenz Eley (now part of the Ebiquity Group).   Ebiquity is the global leader in independent media benchmarking consultancy.  The media team will ensure you get the very best value from your media investment across all paid-for channels, locally and internationally.  Services help you plan and buy your advertising with total confidence. Through this partnership the IAS will be able to facilitate Media Audits and Media Process Audits for clients as well as managing the intricacies of a media only review and placement.

Media Audit Process

1.Examine costs from current media agencies

2.Media audit to conduct buying case examinations

3.Media audit to conduct media process audits re media planning and buying

4.Present results back to client/BU Heads and product managers

5.Implementation of possible changes and measurements

Agency Familiarization 

The Agency Familiarisation Programme is designed and tailor-made for to address the needs of the  Marketing Department. The programme is fine-tuned following an in-depth meeting to assess and understand specific needs, strengths and weaknesses.

We suggest the participants include Senior Managers, Middle Managers, Assistants and any other  person who deals with the advertising / media / creative or digital agency – regardless of position.

Agency Familiarization Programme

1.How an agency (creative, media, digital and PR) works in general, structures etc and how your agency works in particular. This workshop requires IAS to do background research into each of the agencies. Analysis of contact points within marketing department and agencies.

2.Briefing an agency. In-depth exploration of what needs to go into a brief and why. Different types of briefs for different types of communication requirements

3.How to evaluating a media plan and schedule, the complexities of the plan and how media are selected.

4.How to evaluate creative

5.What to expect in a TV pre-production meeting and what your role as the client is.

Marketing Mentorship

In response to client demand, we have created two Marketing Mentorship programmes, one of three months in length and the other of six months. These programmes are designed to provide in house marketing mentorship for brand management, marketing management and other departments within the organisation.

Both programmes, facilitated by senior marketing experts with at least 15 years of experience in large and small organisations, assist the more junior marketing personnel to improve their performance along with skills development and transfer. Excellence in client agency relationship management is also an integral part of these programmes which are tailor made by the IAS to fit with clients objectives and needs.

During these programmes IAS provides regular feedback to client top management regarding programme performance. At the end of the relevant programme, IAS conducts an exit workshop to ensure that the skills transfer process has been completed and also to identify any other areas that might need further input or assistance.

Pause & Reflect Communication Reviews

The Pause and Reflect session is specifically designed  to evaluate all marketing communication activities and budgets with the respective communication  agencies / partners in support of the agreed marketing objectives for the fiscal under review.    Pause and Reflect sessions form the basis for new fiscal planning  and budgeting as well as  implementation of communication activities to include appropriate measurement criteria.

Pause and Reflect Process

1.Evaluation of all communications activities vs objectives for the period under review by all communication partners

2.Where did we win and why

3.Where did we lose and why

4.How can we capitalise on the winners going forward

5.How can we turn the loser around

6.What needs to be ditched

7.Set objectives for new fiscal from which communication partners can prepare communication strategies and implementation plans