advertising agencies

  Agencies’ creative perspective, the very currency of the business, is at risk and can only be realized by shifting billions from tech to fund creative differentiation. “The value of agency creativity is at risk of disappearing.” The marketing industry is woefully out of balance, from agency/client relationships to new business requirements and compensation. The […]

“When everyone is super, no one will be.” Little did “The Incredibles” villain Syndrome know that he was predicting the challenge of both digital experiences and customer experience itself. (Those scores are flat or down over the last three years.) Sure, your coffee app and online retail store work great. Check. Your banking site takes […]

If you’re among the fifty percent of marketers that prioritize “improving customer experiences” over other marketing initiatives or among the majority of marketers that cut agency fees and scope, you may be desperate to differentiate from your competitors. Growth From Improving Customer Experience Sputters The customer experience agenda is stalling. Forrester’s Customer Experience Index (CX […]

On Monday, Publicis Groupe officially announced its plans to acquire marketing services agency and loyalty provider Epsilon-Conversant from Alliance Data Systems for US$4.4 billion. We predicted this acquisition months ago, since IPG’s purchase of Acxiom and Dentsu Aegis Network’s (DAN) purchase of Merkle left Publicis as the only holding company without a significant data management […]

Today, Accenture Interactive announced its Droga5 acquisition. The New York- and London-based creative agency joins previous Accenture creative acquisitions Fjord, Karmarama, and The Monkeys to bolster the consultancy’s creative and brand communication capabilities. Combined with Accenture Interactive’s technology, data, experience design, commerce, and programmatic capabilities, the addition of Droga5 and others helps move them one […]

The excess of adtech and martech such as demand-side platforms (DSPs) and data management platforms (DMPs) gives marketers all the control and insights required to run efficient and effective media campaigns. The prospect of marketers owning their data and putting hands on keyboards for digital campaigns calls into question the real need for media agencies. […]

Brands are jumping into the messy arena of polarizing issues with greater fervor — and Gillette just raised the stakes. After 30 years of sitting on the sidelines, Gillette is passing its razor like a baton, with an overture that overtly calls masculinity into question. Within 72 hours of launch, Gillette’s “We Believe” TV spot skyrocketed […]

I’ve just returned from a few days in the sun, having once again participated in Beet.TV’s annual Beet Retreat. (Wonderfully, we returned to Puerto Rico this year.*) The theme was “It’s Consumer-First in TV Land,” which I really hoped the conference would pay off on. Why? Well, we know that consumer attitudes about advertising are […]

CMOs Should Rethink Their Efficiency Argument For An Effectiveness Strategy Headlines blustering about in-house agencies have marketers buzzing and agencies fretting. While the in-house trend has grown in popularity, it still lacks in maturity. Forrester partnered with leading industry association In-House Agency Forum to track the progress of in-house development. Here’s what we know. Popularity Soars […]

The first Forrester Wave™ on global media agencies reveals the category-adding technology, services, and capabilities to leap beyond conventional media planning and buying. Media agencies are beginning to transform into media consultancies. However, who’s leading might surprise you. The Conventional Approach Of The Media Agency Is Deteriorating Media agencies are no longer just media planning […]

Agencies Are No Longer The Exclusive Marketing And Business Partner For CMOs CMOs bring agency work in-house and aggressively manage agency fees. Global consultancies like Accenture and Deloitte target CMOs and new business and technology stakeholders with experience agency services. The agency business model is under financial attack. P&G reported saving $1 billion in agency […]

Photo Credit: Adweek.com IPG announced a deal to acquire Acxiom Marketing Services to much fanfare from the business press and financial analysts praising the potential of marketing powered by Acxiom’s data and IPG’s growing ad tech capabilities. However, before we rush to applaud IPG’s business acumen and industry foresight let’s unpack the implications. What Should […]

I have a new work crush. It happened, of all places, at the ANA’s Advertising Financial Management Conference earlier this week in Hollywood, Florida. My new marketer inspiration? Denise Karkos, CMO of TD Ameritrade, who talked us through what it means — and why it’s so critical — to be an accountable CMO. Here’s a bit […]

Forrester’s research shows that half of firms have moved some digital marketing capabilities in-house, and another third plan to do so. Whether you are a company CMO or an agency CEO, insourcing involves a lot of anxiety. Both should ask: “What does this mean for my business?” Make In-House Digital Marketing A Strategic Asset It’s […]

  The news of Martin Sorrell’s resignation signals a crisis for WPP; its stock dropped 7% Monday and further fueled discussion of breaking up the company into smaller pieces. But rather than bend to the pressure of market volatility, WPP should take this rare moment of reflection to reinvent itself. Sorrell’s resignation ends an era, […]

Do you want to be like Apple? In 2010, Apple ranked as the 17th most valuable brand in the world. Just three years later, it had garnered the top spot and has remained there. Since 2010, Apple’s brand value has increased at a compound annual growth rate of 36%, while the entire “brandscape” has grown […]

Will 2018 Be A Reckoning For Agencies? WPP’s flat 2017 earnings is another in a series of bad omens for marketing agencies, as the largest advertising holding company is often regarded a bell weather for the industry. IPG, Publicis Groupe and Havas also reported lack-luster earnings. P&G and Unilever recently cut another $800 MM in […]

I love digging into data. Sounds obvious, I know. I’m an analyst, after all. But when I returned to Forrester, just after the Q2 2017 Omnichannel DSP Wave published, I found we were sitting on a treasure trove of data gleaned during the customer reference survey portion of the research. And it was illuminating. This […]

Forrester Principal Analyst Jay Pattisall discusses the threats and changes that agencies are facing and what they need to do now to survive an uncertain future.