What it means to integrate creative and consulting | Perspectives | Campaign Japan Japan

“The concert is coming.” That’s what was whispered with fear and derision when the agency Karmarama, where I was managing partner, was acquired by Accenture in 2016.

Since then, there has been a spate of mergers and acquisitions of creative agencies and consulting firms around the world. recently,VCCP Group acquires Cowry Consultingacquired,Capgemini acquires 23redbottom. Creative agencies are also establishing consulting departments and shifting their business model to providing consulting services.

This shift is reflected in the language agencies use to describe themselves. We are moving away from the term “agency”. Two friends in the industry I spoke with recently told me that both have eliminated the word “agency” from their proposals and prefer to use terms like “growth firms” and “alternative consultants.” It is said that

Science Magic, where I am now head of strategic brand partnerships, also calls itself a company, not an agency. Because from the beginning, our business has been a model of providing strategy consulting and creative services in one company. But no matter what the model or style, agencies are undoubtedly increasingly moving to offer a wide range of integrated services.

From the client’s point of view, the move has clear advantages. At the time, former Guardian Media Group CEO David Pemzel was meeting with Boston Consulting Group (BCG) in the morning and agency Hurdle Bogle Hegerty (BGH) in the afternoon. I used to do But he thought it would be better if people from both companies met at the same time to generate fresh ideas. Client executives are looking for partners who can add creativity to their consulting and creatively incorporate scientific thinking.

On the agency side, meanwhile, it makes sense to extend their capabilities beyond agency work to include consulting services. There are three main reasons for this.

1. Stronger influence on management

Adopting the consulting model allows you to have conversations with “upper management” such as CEOs and CMOs. For example, we want to help businesses tackle challenges for a better world, but to do that, we need to understand the CEO’s awareness of the issues (from business strategy and transformation to products and services). be. It is also necessary to provide long-term support so that problems can be solved through branding, community connections, and communication.

There are other areas where hybrids with consulting can serve clients better. For example, using better data and insights to predict the future and identify new communities that will contribute to our clients’ businesses in the future. If it can be identified, companies will not only be able to improve their brand image by listening to what the community has to say, but it will also be possible to transform their products and services in line with the community’s needs. It is also possible to create sustainability strategies and new innovations.

2. Expand your creativity

Historically, the purpose of consulting and agency collaborations has been to harness creativity to tackle the toughest problems. But what if creative talent could partner with data and business strategy experts to focus on meaningful innovation, not just campaigns? For example, when I was at Accenture, a creator had an innovation vision for a product that would encourage the spread of electric vehicles. Imagine a creative team coming up with an entirely new and innovative business that meets people’s needs and building it for a large company. Combining creative and consulting expands the possibilities of creativity and generates a wider range of ideas.

3. Treated as a valued partner, not a supplier

The industry has long advocated an equal relationship between agency and client. But how many cases actually do that? Clients change hands quickly, and brands want pitches on every project. In addition, the procurement team can sometimes take a heavy-handed attitude. As a result, agencies often feel like they’re being treated as campaign subcontractors rather than valued strategic partners.

On the other hand, consultants and business strategists are often viewed as key advisors or high-value partners to executive management.

Is a New Era Coming to the Industry?

In 2017, Sir Martin Sorrell called the move by consulting firms into the advertising industry “a bit strange” and questioned whether the consulting culture would take hold in the industry.

Integrating a large corporate culture is not easy for any kind of business. To address these cultural issues, Science Magic has had staff from both sides working in the same room since the beginning. The advantage of this approach is that you can hire people who want to work creatively in that environment. Of course, it’s also important to establish a common framework and perception when hiring consultants who haven’t worked with creators before.

Groundbreaking ideas can come from creativity or from consulting. But if the two can be fused and coherently worked together, it can produce some truly amazing and transformative results.

In today’s globalized world, “business as usual” is over. Therefore, it is necessary to combine various business models and organizations to find breakthrough ideas. There may never be a better time to challenge the status quo, stop repeating the past, and shape a new future.

Hattie Matthews is Chief Brand Officer for Science Magic.