marketing

How To Be The Best Global Advertising Agency

October 22, 2020 By Peter Leave a Comment

Want To Run A Global Advertising Agency Out Of Only One Office?

London Advertising, the crazily awarded global advertising agency (like being called the Agency Of The Year by The Drum year upon year) allowed its CEO Michael Moszynski to be interviewed by me right here on Advertising Stories. It helps that we worked together while having a few pints at Saatchi London in the way back. It also helps London Advertising that Michael’s Creative Director partner Alan Jarvie kicks butt as well.

Here are lessons on how to be distinctive; the value of the single-minded branded big idea; how to spend 25 years growing the massive Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group (and making it one of, if not the, most revered hospitality brands); how London advertises itself and how it kicks global / multi-office behemoths like WPP via one focussed office in London. Mantra = much more effective advertising for less. Not a bad sales pitch.

Really, there is not much more that I can say other than listen up. There are multiple teachable moments for any digital or “full service” advertising agency in this podcast. Pass it on to your mates.

NOTES:

London Advertising

Michael Mosynski on LinkedIn

The Mandarin Oriental “I’m A Fan” Advertising Campaign

Hypnotism coming: Remember to subscribe to Advertising Stories. Remember to subscribe to Advertising Stories. Remember to…

A nice thing for me… Feedspot has recognized Advertising Stories as being a top 15 advertising podcast.

Yikes. Donald Trump Loves Me. The Videos.

October 19, 2020 By Peter Leave a Comment

I Admit It. I Am Not Sure That My Donald Trump ‘Loves Me’ Endorsements Are Good For Me. Ever. However.

Months ago The Donald made a couple of video endorsements for me. One about my business development consultancy… “Levitan’s The Best”. And, one about my Advertising Stories podcast. Here is the podcast list.

To put it mildly, The Donald is a bit divisive. However, he cannot be ignored, and therefore at the time, I thought what the heck, if he is going to do a couple of personal non-political videos, why not let him. I won’t get political either (plus I am an Independent). My goal was and is to be Unignorable. So, here is a bit of borrowed interest just for you.

Oh, Mahatma Gandhi also endorsed me as well. I had visited one of his homes in Mumbai last January. Does Mr. Gandhi help me find the center – for you? I mean, who was EVER liked by both Gandhi and Trump? You can see Gandhi’s pitch for me here on my Contact page.

Ta Da, Donald Trump For Levitan’s Expertise. #1.

Ta Da, Donald Trump For Levitan’s Podcasts. #2.

How To Build An In House Agency

September 18, 2020 By Peter Leave a Comment

The market vibration is that there is a growing use of the in house agency. To be more specific, this is an in house “advertising agency” since what is brought inside are one or more of what I’ll call “advertising services” that include strategy development; digital marketing; PR; ‘traditional advertising”; media planning, and buying and, most common, high-volume and fast-paced content development.

There are many reasons for a company to bring some or all marketing services inside by creating an in house agency. That said, there is no one size fits all and it ain’t easy folks.

The rather experienced Steven Morvay, he’s held senior positions as both an agency president at Saatchi & Saatchi Direct and senior marketing positions at Borders and HBO, gets both sides of the in house agency equation. Take a listen. This is a smart discussion. Yes, I said that.

The In House Agency – The Why Do It?

I am going to go deeper into the growth of the in house agency and its efficacy and issues. But for now, here is a revealing chart from the Association Of National Advertisers and eMarketer about the primary benefits of creating the in house agency. Yes, it is often mucho about saving some bucks.

…..

Show Notes.

Steven Morvay on LinkedIn.

YO – Hypnotism coming.

Remember to subscribe to Advertising Stories. Remember to subscribe to Advertising Stories. Remember to subscribe.

A nice thing for me… Feedspot has recognized Advertising Stories as being a top 15 advertising podcast.

Top Advertising And Design Awards

September 14, 2020 By Peter 3 Comments

A Lovely List Of The Top Advertising Awards

And deep thoughts on why you should even bother doing the advertising award game.

TA DA — A New 2020 Advertising Award: The Side Show

The Side Show is an award for — well, here is what they say:

We’re here to celebrate the side projects of those in the advertising industry. Side projects showcase another angle of ourselves, a side some rarely get to see, and we believe that side should be rewarded. We look forward to seeing you show off your bold, your whimsical, your unexpected, and your original sides. (Also: There’s insanely impressive judges & cash prizes. We may have ‘side’ in our name but diversity is our main focus.)

Submissions are due by October 9th at 11:59 PM, PST and are open for everyone from student to c-suite, creatives and non-creatives alike. Late submissions will not be accepted.

I like this idea. It is fresh, is more inclusive, and should help us to see some of the better work done outside of, well, people’s main work thing.

Next: You might want to listen to or come back to this Advertising Stories podcast – How To Win More Webby Awards.

This interview is with Matt Faulk, yup the guy that runs the Webby Awards’ actual ad agency. Plus… Matt’s agency = Basic = just happens to win more Webby Awards than anyone.

OK, the advertising award list also includes a few of my views on advertising awards objectives and strategies. It is mindblowing how many advertising agencies do not know how to enter an award show — to win.

Note: This advertising awards list gets updated. Let me know if I am missing an award.

Advertising Awards Are Good… But, Maybe Start Here: Why Enter Award Shows? Do You Have A Strategy?

Winning the right advertising awards is good for business and agency and client morale. Just make sure you know why you are entering. Too many agencies don’t approach the award process with a plan or objectives beyond the search for ego fulfillment. This can make the whole effort a bit too C R A Z Y. But, you know that. Or, do you? Go here to hear an advertising award judge on his less than optimal experience reading agency entries.

I have a memory about the power of awards from my first day at Saatchi & Saatchi London way back in the 1990s. I walked through the creative floor and noticed a tall glass case randomly stuffed with lots of creative trophies. This haphazard display delivered two messages: 1) Saatchi wins lots of awards and 2) they don’t take these too seriously. Of course, the second point was bull shit. Saatchi was always about looking like a winner and the award case proved that point in a cheeky manner. It worked better than the usual and obvious shelf of awards that sit behind the ad agency receptionist’s head.

I have always had mixed feelings about advertising awards. On one hand, they are, like winning an Academy Award, i.e. ridiculous. No one ad, digital program or actor is the “best.” On the other hand (the one with the wallet), they are way expensive. As an agency owner, I often cringed when a creative director came to me with his hand out asking us to spend hundreds on award entries.

However money aside, advertising awards have some very big advantages for agencies, clients, and creative-class workers:

The awards celebrate creativity itself. Creative strategies, art, copy and the media platforms that deliver the work.

They help our most talented people get noticed.

They help smart well-designed agencies get noticed by occasionally confused clients who need second party confirmation when selecting an agency. To me, this is a very important point and one that makes writing those increasingly expensive entry checks worth the cost. Awards should be a big part of an agency’s business development program – not just an ego stroker.

To put all of this go-for-it into context, I wrote about the Portland agency Pollinate a few years back that has done very well (!) by hammering Advertising Age’s Small Agency awards show. The blog post, “How To Win The Ad Age Small Agency Award? Twice?” is a demonstration of the value of entering and winning an award that has meaning for prospective clients because it is delivered via an industry-leading publication. Check it out.

Last point before the list. Award judges have told me that around 30% of agencies do not know how to create an entry that is designed to win. Poor copy, poor strategy, even typos. Many agencies rush through the process at the very last minute. Do you? Do you have an annual award plan? Who is in charge?

My 13 Favorite Advertising & Marketing Awards

An Expert On How To Do M&A

August 31, 2020 By Peter Leave a Comment

I’ve got to tell you… you do not just wake up one morning and know how to do M&A. There is a fine art and science (both) to getting the smartest, best and happiest deals done.

Dominic Rinaldi is Managing Director of Chicago’s Sun Acquisitions. He is an expert at crafting the best deals for buyers and sellers. That, ladies and gentlemen, is what you can learn directly from a leading M&A advisor.

I’m into the universe of M&A these days because I wrote “How To Sell An Advertising Agency. And, How To Buy One.” I wrote the book for my advertising agency world because I think, well I know from my agency leadership conversations, that many advertising agency owners and potential buyers are looking at the M&A market. It is a time for some ad folks to either sell out or use the market to acquire some well-priced assets.

There is a lot of information in the interview. That said, here is a bit on getting bank financing. It sure looks like a good time to borrow.

Peter: I’ve, I’ve bought and sold three agencies. I never borrowed money. I never went to a bank, never lived through the banking experience. What percentage of sales of your middle and lower market clients require borrowing from a bank?

Dominic: The largest, most sophisticated buyers want to borrow money because they want to put leverage on that deal. So let’s talk in the terms of a sophisticated private equity group that’s looking to make acquisitions. If they have $200 million in a fund and they’re looking to go out and make acquisitions, they don’t want to do 10 transactions with the 200 million. They want to do a hundred transactions. So they’re spreading their risk. The chances are that they are going to hit a couple of home runs and also hit a couple of doubles and triples. Whereas if they do 10 deals the odds of success really shrink. So using the money to do as many deals as possible putting bank lending on it gives them leverage to do that. And it’s today’s very low-interest rates. It makes a lot of sense.

My “How To Sell…” book is free. All you have to do is use the handy get the free book link on this page to ask for a copy.

Show Notes Links To Get You To… More How To Do M&A.

Sun Acquisitions

Dominic Rinaldi’s M&A Unplugged Podcast

K2Advisor – On setting up and positioning a business for a sale

The Beatles Taxman

Hypnotism coming: Remember to subscribe to Advertising Stories. Remember to subscribe to Advertising Stories.

A nice thing for me… Feedspot has recognized Advertising Stories as being a top 15 advertising podcast.