Why Don’t Clients Listen?: The Epic Saga of Ignored Agency Advice
Ambika Sharma
Chief Strategist @ Pulp Strategy | Published Author | Digital Strategy | Design Thinking | INSEAD | Stanford
In the glamorous world of advertising, there’s a secret drama that unfolds behind closed doors. Picture this: agencies pouring their creative hearts into campaigns, armed with strategies that could win over the world, only to watch in horror as clients shrug off their expert advice. What happens next? Cue the epic fails, legal drama, and PR nightmares.
It’s not just me, it’s a Tale as Old as Time. Did you know that 50% of agencies report clients frequently ignoring their strategic advice a report by (Society of Digital Agencies)? Yes, that’s half of the brilliant minds in our industry shouting into the void, only to be met with silence and the occasional eye-roll. And it's not just a minor hiccup. According to a Forbes article, a whopping 73% of agencies believe that disregarding their advice leads to unmet objectives and failed campaigns. It’s like setting sail on the Titanic, knowing there’s an iceberg ahead, and choosing to ignore the warnings anyway.
Real-life Fiascos: The Hall of Fame
Data is my go-to crutch here so here are some real-world tales of when ignoring agency advice led to spectacular blunders.
P.V. Sindhu & Manu Bhaker's Legal Battle:
When P.V. Sindhu clinched victory in a significant match, brands were quick to jump on the bandwagon, using her image to celebrate their “association” with her success. The problem? They didn’t ask Sindhu first! She threatened legal action, and companies scurried to delete their posts, learning that using someone’s likeness without permission isn’t just bad manners—it’s legally dicey. We said no, and cautioned brands the 1st time around and One would think we all learned and grew; "this is a real-life teaching moment". BUT: then we came to Olympics 2024 and the Déjà vu, Olympic shooting medalist Manu Bhaker recently had her moment of legal wrath too. Brands thought it was open season to use her image for promotions, did they listen to the agency, well… not everyone did. Some bullied their way with the account managers, and in a few cases, stamping feet was involved. Then 24 hours later Manu shot back with a legal warning. Her point? Respect athletes’ image rights or face the consequences. And yet again there was a mad rush to delete images. ?
?Let's look beyond borders to Pepsi’s Kendall Jenner Ad:
Ah, the infamous Pepsi ad starring Kendall Jenner. The goal was to portray unity, but it ended up trivializing social justice movements. Despite the agency’s warnings about potential backlash, Pepsi went full steam ahead. The fallout? Public outrage, a pulled ad, and a lot of red-faced executives wondering why they didn’t just listen.
More dope than I care to remember, but if you recall McDonald's #McDStories Campaign.
McDonald's decided to engage the Twitterverse with a campaign encouraging customers to share their #McDStories. The agency cautioned about the potential for negative feedback, but the campaign launched anyway. What followed was a wave of negative tweets, hijacking the hashtag to share less-than-flattering stories about the brand. Lesson learned: Twitter can be a wild place.
领英推荐
While I have a long list, I promise this is the last example
How can we forget the fiasco when Walkers Crisps ran a fun selfie campaign, asking fans to submit photos for a chance to win prizes? However, the campaign was quickly hijacked with inappropriate content. The agency had flagged concerns about content moderation, recommended extra hands and the cost to foot those hours, but those warnings were, well, walked over. Cue the PR scramble to contain the chaos.
The Moral of the Story
These examples highlight a crucial lesson: We agencies know our stuff. Ignoring advice is like ignoring a GPS while driving you might end up somewhere, but it’s probably not where you wanted to be. The solution? Collaboration and respect in client-agency relationships. After all, when you combine a client’s vision with an agency’s expertise, magic happens. Let’s work together, listen to each other, and create campaigns that resonate and succeed.
?So, dear clients, the next time your agency suggests a change, take a moment to listen. It might just save you from becoming the next headline
Ambika Sharma
Founder & Chief Strategist, Pulp Strategy
Sr. Brand Strategist | LBS Awarded Brand Manager | Marketing Enthusiast | Let's build your brand from A-Z
3 个月You hit a soft nerve here! Btw a perfect preface to such a series called ‘I told you so’
Such a relatable challenge! It's always tough when expert advice isn’t taken seriously, especially when the stakes are high. Trust between agencies and clients is key to avoiding those avoidable fiascos. Looking forward to reading more about these stories—lessons learned the hard way are often the most valuable!