As a veteran marketer, I experience it all the time. Brands see a competitor in the market doing something, so their curiosity rises. Or a media opportunity is presented and the brand rolls it into an existing campaign. Both are justifiable extensions to discuss. But failure to capture the whole picture, or not thinking about ROI implications, makes for questionable outcomes.
Our team at Morgan & Co. believes one of a brand’s strongest tools is an experienced ad agency at their side. While I’m not going to say we’re the best agency for your brand, I am going to say, in the grand quest for strategy and ROI, an agency, either us or another, provides unmeasurable value on a daily basis.
With that said, many brands have never experienced an ad agency, creating possible misconceptions about the relationship and value. So, here are some of the most common myths debunked about working with an advertising agency:
Myth 1: “We can do it ourselves”
You go to professionals in other aspects of your life – auto repair, dentists, doctors – because of their expertise. Working with a marketing agency is no different. An agency like Morgan & Co. brings in a team of seasoned veterans who have dedicated their careers to designing and implementing media campaigns that are rooted in data, utilize a wide spectrum of media tactics, measured and accountable to a brand’s business goals. It is only with the experience and insight from trained media buying professionals that you will get the return the brand needs to grow market share.
Myth 2: Implementing a “cookie-cutter” marketing plan
Your competitor’s strategy should never be your strategy. Like people, each brand is uniquely different, providing value and benefits to customers that no other entity can deliver. A marketing plan and media strategy should be customized to your uniqueness, keeping your audience, brand values, goals and market space in mind. And that is exactly what a great agency does – tailor your content, strategy and tactics based on your specific needs and goals.
You know the saying – when all you have is a hammer, everything is a nail. We believe organic growth of a campaign through a process of discover and design generates the most return. For that reason, Morgan & Co. uses audience segmentation and strategy to cultivate a unique approach to a campaign that connect brands and consumers. At our disposal are things like online, offline, non-traditional, experiential and promotional strategies, giving us the opportunity to implement the best customized cross-channel plan for your brand.
Myth 3: All agencies are created equal
I said it in the opener, we’re not a perfect fit for all brands. Fortunately, there are many types of agencies, and there is one that matches your company’s needs and working style. Start by finding an agency that is familiar with your industry, position, audience and is able to form a lasting business relationship. In this sense, Morgan & Co. is built to specialize in one space – media – for brands that need a partner with deep knowledge of all media platforms, with the ability for the left hand to talk to the right hand, sharing a cohesive strategy and message. Media has become a complex and integral part of marketing outreach. Consumers communicate and share information through a wide array of channels. In our eyes, that requires being a certified Google and Facebook partner, and being well-versed in search, display, video, email, programmatic, native, broadcast, cable, print, radio marketing and more. At the same time, we put an oversized emphasis on audience segmentation (no two people are alike, right?), attribution and reporting to clear the air on ROI.
An agency should be a vested partner, where the conversations are deep and often times oriented around strategy for the business – market expansion, competition, etc. They should eliminate extra work or stress for your team. That is exactly how Morgan & Co. came to be – to work in sync with brands across the nation, delivering media plans backed by data, strategy and decades of experience. Contact us to discuss how we can move your brand forward.
