Agencies & Clients Require Clearer Briefs

A new survey, titled ‘Enhancing Client/Agency Relations 2015’ has discovered that professionals from both sides have differing views on what they believe are the most important aspects of their working relationship, Warc reports. The two specific areas directly mentioned are briefs and compensations.

The survey was carried out by the Association of National Advertisers (ANA) during the first three months of this year and found that just over a quarter (27%) of agencies stated their clients provide clear enough briefs, and yet over half (58%) of clients believed what they provided their agencies with was adequate.

In reference to the compensation received by agencies there was also a significant difference in opinions, with 40% of agencies believing what they received was fair, but 72% of clients believing they paid out a reasonable fee.

However, despite these major differences in opinion both agencies and clients roughly agreed on some counts – both believed that agencies work well with other agencies (88% of the agencies questioned believe so, along with 65% of clients); and both sides believed that the development of in-house client resources was becoming a more viable option for clients (as stated by 47% of agencies and 54% of clients).

Nevertheless, despite some disagreements the majority of both agencies (86%) and clients (87%) felt that an agency was a valued business partner that brings significant benefits and expertise to the development of a client’s business strategy, as well as helping to meet business goals.

Bob Liodice, the president and CEO of ANA, said: “We are pleased to see that at the core, client/agency relationships are sound.”