5 Qualities of the Best Advertising Agencies & Companies
Just about everyone was in.
Media mogul Rupert Murdoch, Oracle founder Larry Ellison, Sam Walton of Wal-Mart, and Walgreens were massive investors. The Board of Directors featured Henry Kissinger and two more former Secretaries of State, four-star general James Mattis, and others atop the worlds of banking, science, and medicine.
What did all these heavyweights place strong bets on? Theranos, one of the most catastrophic and deceptive business ventures in modern history, that has now gone from society-shifting idea to crime and punishment.
If these magnates could be fooled by a prospective business partner, then just about anyone can. But the Theranos legacy can teach us, leaving us better equipped to select our collaborators, and to whom we give money. And it’s even more relevant to small businesses.
Advertising is crucial, yet futile if not delivered masterfully. A 5 is no more memorable than a 2. Maybe you have the time, creativity, and experience to knock out your own marketing while actually running your SMB. But would you rather “knock it out” or blow people away and watch sales skyrocket? If the latter, an advertising agency is your best route. But just like in medicine, advertising is full of the Theranoses. How can you separate the great from the bait, the leaders of the pack from the full-blown quacks?
Evidence
You better believe ad people know how to talk the talk. But you’re the only one who can ensure they walk - and have walked - the walk.
This proof can come in a variety of ways, depending on what mediums you’re after. If you’re looking digital, get a portfolio or at least their crown jewel projects. Want to reach the locals through radio advertising? Listen to their individual spots produced for small businesses, then listen to an entire campaign worth. Is it dull and cliche, or fresh and dynamic without being confusing?
Seeing what an advertising partner has done doesn’t just prove their competence - it can spark creative campaign ideas. Inspiration from another campaign is not stealing.
Transparency
Chefs of decades-old, world-class restaurants often get asked “Please, what is in this dish?!” or “What can I pay you for this recipe?”. Not only do they not have to share their recipes, avoiding it makes the product even more alluring thanks to the majesty of mystery.
You do not want mystery when choosing an advertising agency. The “How, what, when, where, why” should be the minimum of your knowledge. In many instances, creative and tracking tools will be used for ongoing evaluation and insights. You should be able to access most, if not all of them. In fact…
Tools of the Trade
Tools matter, and beyond that they are constantly innovating. Know what an inferior, possibly dangerous doctor is? One who doesn’t stay up to date on the latest trials, studies and innovations.
Don’t be a micromanager, but know what your advertising company is using, and know if there is any other product or service that could be superior. Know that you can bring it up in conversation, but also know there’s a polite and professional way to do so.
Passion
This one can be trickier to identify. It’s more of a feel, one you should be able to intuit after a couple of (hopefully in-person) meetings.
What is driving this company, that division, these creatives? Are they focused on wrapping another project to get to the next commission, or are they focused on - and loving - creation, growth and calling people to action? Your advertising partners should have an infectious energy, often that makes you feeling more excited than when you first walked into the building.
The Forest for the Trees
We are in the digital age. That means whether you’re advertising on the radio, television, print, social - people’s next action after learning about you, is searching for you. And search, or SEO, takes significant time. It’s a sprawling landscape, and no matter how viral you can make a campaign, Google will not make you a results-page sensation overnight.
If an ad company is promising you a boom in less than a couple months, steer clear. Go with one promoting a thorough long-term vision, not a short-term hack that can sometimes even get you penalized.
On top of an obsession with creativity, integrity and good local people, these are all qualities that fill every project here at Iliad Media Group. And we’re always looking to collaborate with SMBs with something to offer the Treasure Valley. So if you or someone you know has one, and wants to be heard on the radio and found online with stories that make customers eager to buy, we’d love to have a conversation.