IS AN INDEPENDENT AGENCY RIGHT FOR YOU?

THERE IS NO 'RIGHT' MODEL, ONLY WHAT IS RIGHT FOR YOU.

Independent agencies typically assert they offer access to ‘experience and service at a price point the big network agencies cannot compete with’; at Nucco, we call this ‘big agency expertise in a small agency service culture’, which is a promise, and it's true.

There are equally valid alternative propositions: the ‘big network agencies offer a breadth of expertise and depth of capability independent agencies cannot match’, and in-house agencies occupy a middle ground that tackles efficiency, brand/business familiarity, and responsiveness.

IT’S HORSES FOR COURSES. THE CHALLENGE IS KNOWING WHICH IS FOR YOU.

We see three client archetypes that benefit enormously from working with us at Nucco .

(1) FOXHOLERS: These are the relatively tiny marketing teams in big businesses that don’t rely on advertising for sales. Think B2B services (e.g., financial or professional services). They are often seen as support services and manage internal stakeholders who do not consider marketing critical.

These marketing teams benefit from the independent agency’s ‘responsiveness and expertise’. The agency has the time and motivation to help the marketing teams succeed internally. This is where we see the most compelling examples of an agency acting as an ‘extension of the internal team’, where agency experts play an essential role in supporting internal marketing teams.

This usually requires speedy iteration, response to sometimes conflicting feedback, and acceptance that briefs and scopes will creep and change. Network agencies struggle in these areas because they have layers and departments coordinated through inevitably junior account people.

(2) NEXTSTEPPERS: These are private business leaders who are taking a ‘next step’. They are planning or have just invested in a senior marketing role. From a marketing perspective, these businesses are likely to be relatively immature, probably having relied on word of mouth for their growth so far.

The brand needs sharpening and given depth beyond a visual identity, audiences and value propositions need refining, and there’s no comprehensive strategy.

This is a national or regional SMB taking the next step to go national or enter a new market (often the US) or realising that relying on word of mouth to grow, which has worked so well in the past, is not enough for the future. The Next Steppers benefit from the direct access to senior expertise, and the responsiveness independent agencies have built into their business model and culture.

(3) ACTIVATORS: These are the Business Units within bigger groups that are not well served by the significant network agency relationships procured and managed at a group level. Activators want to engage customers outside their internal team’s business-as-usual communications and more directly than group-level marketing communications can. This is a perfect scenario for getting value from an independent agency; it can double down on the Activator’s audiences while creating synergy with global comms.

If you find yourself in a foxhole, planning a next step or activating your brand at a BU level, why not get in touch to find out if Nucco might be right for you?