I used to work in advertising. Now I work in consumer research. It still amazes me that the “collaborative” approach between the two industries as seen as something revolutionary, rather than the norm.
What’s in it for all?
It’s a shame that many research and advertising agencies still compete for the share of client’s business, when their roles should be very distinctive. It’s also a shame that most often agencies work in isolation on the same brand, without any knowledge of what the other parties are up to.
Collaboration of minds leads to richer results, and it makes perfect sense for advertising agencies to be the creators of engaging communications and for research agencies to be the objective evaluators and explorers. It’s important for advertising agencies to do their own research as well, however having the work independently tested (with an objective to enhance, rather than impede the work) helps both – agencies and clients sleep better at night.
The way forward…
We’re very lucky to be working with agencies that share our views and value collaboration. It always makes our day to receive after-hour phone calls to bounce around ideas based on key insights (and no, we’re not being sarcastic!). Each party brings a different perspective to the table, and we are all able to approach our clients’ business problems from different angles.
We constantly see our clients achieve far better results by selecting agencies that can collaborate and complement each other. At the end of the day we are all there for a common purpose, and we feel that this collaborative and mutually-understanding approach makes the marketing industry more effective overall.
Written by:
Lana Bruskina – Strategy and Insight Manager
For further information on THINK Global Research, please contact Kristy Ihle (Managing Director) at info@thinkglobalresearch.com.
