Recently, I’ve been sat back reading. Just putting my feet up on the table, a cup of coffee steaming beside me and all the time in the world to consider things like why water is wet and how many elephants David McKee could draw in two minutes.
Important stuff.
So it’s whilst all this change the world philosophicationising is going on that my eye fell across agency ads.
Agency ads – the job an agency hates. How do you sell yourself? There are so many great things about us, we tend to think, why stick to just the one? Why use the approach we take with clients? We could miss out on the element of our business that chimes with what they want.
We’d like to please everyone, on the off-chance that something will stick.
The result seems to be a mixed bag and I was a little surprised at how many agencies went big on boasting about the clients they work with.
Is this a persuasive argument to use an agency? It’s true that some clients do believe that because you have worked with client A then you’ll be perfect for their needs also.
Makes sense to a certain extent.
It shows experience and a level of service that will no doubt rub off into their product.
Seems appropriate, right?. The strategy is akin to hauling your portfolio around and hoping the client sees something that rings true with what they are looking for.
But thinking about it deeper it struck me as an odd strategy. Like someone who brags about their sexual conquests.
Which is risky, because what happens if someone walks past and says: “oh yes, I’ve slept with that person as well”. And then someone else coughs and says “umm… actually…”.
And so on.
Because really, for the most part. Well…
We all have.
It doesn’t make it any less special, but it does make your point of difference a little less different.
Whereas Head First… well we introduced them to our mums.
