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Too often today, project briefs start with prescribing a solution. ’Mobile application to connect with youth’, ‘in-store graphics and POP display appropriate for high-traffic retail outlets’….the list goes on and on.

So, we can’t help but ask ourselves who has their eye on solving the Business Problem? In the old days, clients would sign up with an agency they trust and give them a bit of money to think about achieving their business objectives. The agency would go off and spend the time their clients’ funds allowed figuring out how to achieve the business objectives while spending as little as possible (keeping the remaining funds for themselves as profit). The model certainly had its flaws. But, it allowed agencies to think and kept them aligned toward achieving business objectives.

Since 2004, every agency that I’ve worked for/with was in the midst of developing their own bespoke client asset management library. They’ve had various bells and whistles and each worked in different ways, but all with the same basic purpose: to efficiently share out brand assets (logos, etc), guidelines, etc. And there have been loads of software development firms who offered this type of package to big brands, as well (SmartPath being just one example), but with big annual subscription and/or customisation charges to match. Loads of marketing agencies and marketing departments spent major money on building their own asset management systems or on customisations for off the shelf solutions. And many of the systems weren’t the most intuitive.

Now, we’re excited to see a new UK start-up on the job. Brand Regard is a seemingly simple cloud-based solution. But it, and other cloud-based brand asset libraries like it, will make it much easier for smaller brands to keep their multiple agencies, partners and employees ‘in the know’ and using the latest marks, copy, photos, etc. As we’ve seen lots of brands move toward a roster approach and away from single integrated firms, this could be the ‘basecamp solution’ for asset management for marketing departments within SMEs.

Many brands that we speak with are suffering overwhelm. Social media has changed the way they need to operate. They’ve previously hired interns to handle social media, but have found that social media’s such an important aspect that they need someone with a bit more worldly perspective to generate good, worthwhile content. Meanwhile, loads of journalist friends are finding themselves in a new world. No longer employed by news outlets, they’re having to find jobs in the business world and suffering a bit as they don’t feel that they can be as objective and independent as they were once able to be.

Increasingly, we’re seeing journalists take (oftentimes invent) posts as client-side social media content developers; a perfect marriage which fruits impressive results. And, what’s more, this client-side role is easily done as a freelancer, allowing journalists near-complete autonomy. A recent post floated up on Stumble Upon along this theme.

According to some counts of late, there are over 16,000 marketing and communications agencies in the UK. And as someone who spends most of every business day speaking with, reading about and selecting agencies to be put forward for client briefs, I’m continually disappointed by how many marketing agencies neglect marketing themselves.

I find myself in conversations with clients daily to the tune of ‘Believe me, they’re a good marketing firm with talented people onboard…they just aren’t great at marketing themselves.’ How sad.

by Simon Steel

by Pete Goold

Predictions for the year ahead signal a positive future for all aspects of social media, but equally a general misunderstanding of what the industry actually entails and the huge effect it can have on a marketing strategy.

Agency folks, ever wished to be a fly on a client’s wall when filling in your quarterly forecast? And client-side friends, are you wondering if your peers’ social media or mobile spend will go up for down?

If so, well, we may just have some insights that will interest you.