Agency versus client side – is there a difference?!

By Beverley Johnson (left), general manager at Hunter.

I’ve been working at Hunter for over 6 months and I often get asked whether I prefer working on the agency or client side. So here’s my answer.

I started my early career in advertising and hung around for about 5 years. Then I made the switch to the client side and hung around there for a lot longer – around 15 years. Why?

Advertising was a great kick start to my career – fun, egotistical, scary clients, great clients, long lunches – well maybe on Fridays. I learnt a lot about retail – which was my speciality. Worked at a fast pace – client wants an ad in tomorrow’s paper – yes it can be done. It was exciting and dynamic but after 5 years I needed a change. As an account director I felt like Malcolm in the Middle – fighting the battles between creative and the client. I wanted to get back some control, be more creative and strategic, so when the client side came knocking on the door, I decided to open it.

Great – now I got to make all the decisions, drive the strategy, be more creative, push my advertising agency to do great work. Through this process, I realised how much I actually came to rely on my agency. The best client/agency relationship is the one that is open and honest. I made sure my agency attended every Monday meeting to see how we had performed the week prior so they could celebrate the wins and losses and get better insights into how they could help our business grow. There are a lot of clients who don’t work this way. Keep their agency at a distance and feed information on a need to know basis. In my experience this does not lead to great work or great results.

I also had great insight into how an agency works so trying to get an estimate past me that I knew was inflated never happened. I also understood what my agency needed from me in order to ensure that the work was on brand, on brief and on strategy. I truly believe that an agency can only do great work if there is mutual respect and the client is willing to put themselves out on a limb – take a risk together. There are clients who let the agency drive the strategy. Clients need to own this – it’s dangerous when the agency does.

When it came time to pitch, a process I went through several times in my career, I felt the pain of the incumbent. The worst thing I’ve had to do is to make that call to say thanks but we’re moving on. It’s not you, it’s me. That really is true – once a client has made the decision to pitch they are generally looking for something new.

As a client, however, I realised that it was similar to being an account director. Except this time I was fighting the battles between the management team and my marketing department! Did I have the control I wanted – yes with my agency – but in my working day – not always. I was still accountable to the managing director or CEO. If I was unlucky enough to work for one who didn’t have a creative bone in their body then the battle scars were worse. Sometimes I had to deal with so many opinions – not just the opinion of the client and the creative director.

So after many years on the client side when the agency side came knocking, I decided to open the door again.

I find it interesting that a lot of agencies want people with agency experience which I think is a missed opportunity. It’s an asset to have someone with client experience. They can put their client hat on and help agencies understand what clients are looking for. They can also do a great job of helping creative sell in the work by knowing how to get it across the line, read the signs when a client is engaged or not. They are well connected so can add value to the pitch/ new business process.

So I have moved 360 degrees. Yes it’s still fun, egotistical, scary clients, nice clients but definitely no long lunches. I think I’m back where I belong.

Johnson is general manager at Hunter – www.the-hunting-party.com – she has worked as a senior marketer for Jeanswest, Coles, Pacific Brands, Jag and also Warehouse in the UK.