Morgan & Co. turns 23 this year. Although it’s not exactly an exciting or memorable milestone in theory, it’s what’s behind it that matters most. The last 9 months have been nothing short of memorable on several fronts. The best way for me to sum it up is through the 3 P’s – people, place, process. As you will see, they are so intertwined that it’s impossible for one to undergo change without the other two feeling an impact. And it’s all good.
People
It all started last summer when we filled a new position that we created to help with business development. This wouldn’t be the last new position we’d fill in the near future, so we had to look beyond the now. Overriding the issue of finding places to sit for the new people – we’ll get to that in a minute – there was a breath of fresh and new air around the office. New people bring new talents, experiences, ideas and outlook. It’s invigorating when new people get their hands dirty on client initiatives. The result is a strengthened media team that has skills in disciplines of offline, online, analytics, audience analysis and media strategy. But knowledge and expertise are just part of it. Execution is critical. The growth means the teams here have even more depth to manage implementation flawlessly and quickly. A larger talented team becomes even more of an asset.
Place
More people creates a need for more comfy places to work. In the past, we’d order a desk from Ikea, set up a work space and hit the ground running. But this was different. It was no longer that easy to find the right spot to be productive and feel at home. If you’ve been to our office, you understand. We’re in a two story 109-year-old house that has been everything, including a home in the first half of the 1900s, a dentist office, and most recently a recording studio for the Neville Brothers.
Houses are great to work out of, especially this one with its porches, high ceilings, hard wood floors and pocket doors. However, that uniqueness creates challenges that were beyond our skills. Most rooms, initially designed as either sleeping or living space, are an odd size when it comes to office furniture. So, we brought in a designer who provided new ways to use our space. In the past, we’ve leaned heavily towards the open workspace theme. However, open spaces are not all they’re cracked up to be. Just look at the spike in sales of noise-canceling headphones over the last 10 years, the same time that open floor plans become very popular. Coincidence? So, the designer responded by giving everyone a little more personal space while maintaining some open floor plan themes. So far, it’s working well.
Process
That brings us to the 3rd P – process. Growth in headcount and skills begets greater processes. Brands hire Morgan & Co. to solve challenges they’re faced with – understanding their audience segments, smarter media strategy and media buying, analytics, and building transparent reporting that links paid media to sales. The addition of new people means more hands touching this work. When combined with the fact that we’re growing (in terms of the number of clients who engage us and the campaigns we manage), we need to ensure growing pains do not surface.
Success in designing and executing media campaigns that achieve our clients’ needs is commonplace within the office. In order to keep the momentum and deliver the media solutions clients seek from us, we’re refining how we go about business. The workflow we follow is fairly detailed and intricate. We kick it off by scoping out the initiative, which is followed closely by discovery, audience analysis and customer journey. Produced is an insight position and media strategy, which drive the media planning and buying process. The next critical step is execution and optimization. This is where the rubber meets the road in terms of bringing the audience and brand together. When done right, as the consumer travels from a point of need to an actual transaction (purchase), the messages change to support the shifting mind frame in the decision-making process. Campaigns are optimized to maximize the performance of the budget, streamline the media strategy and tactics, and hone in on the highest performing creative elements at each stage.
None of this happens magically, nor is it run by machines. Behind all of this are incredibly knowledgeable people with great talent and experience. The influx of new people means we need to stop, take a look around, and make sure each person knows what he or she must address, from the account directors and the strategists, to the planners and data analysts. Things move fast these days, so as Jim Collins says, we need to make sure people are sitting in the right seats on the bus. To do so requires observation, self-reflection and refinement of how we tackle client needs and deliver results. As is the case in every year before, year 23 of Morgan & Co. will include a hefty amount of attention to how we get brands in front of their customers.
Morgan & Co. is a media agency that specializes in the healthcare, tourism, legal, and hospitality industries. If you want to learn more about the 3 P’s of Morgan & Co., contact us. We’d love to hear from you!
