Agencies
Strategy and insight support for creative agencies.
We work with agencies to strengthen the creative process through strategy, research, workshops and additional strategic resource. Agency is in our blood. We understand the pressures of meeting client needs, winning work and delivering great work at pace. We won't pretend we can solve every agency problem. But we can bring the strategic, research and planning support that helps you do what you do better.
Your client stays your client.
We work behind the scenes, alongside your team and under your lead. We're there to strengthen the work, not to take over the relationship.
Here’s some ways we can help.
Workshops
We run workshops tailored for the task or challenge you face. They can help shape strategy, bring audiences to life, generate ideas, bring you and your client together, or help your team work through a difficult decision.
Strategy development
We develop tailored approaches to help you and your client work through the problem, understand the audience and arrive at a stronger brief.
Agency Growth
Need to rethink your agency's direction or work out where growth could come from next? We've been on the agency side of that problem, helping leadership teams make decisions about positioning, proposition, clients and growth.
Research
We can help with early-stage research to shape strategy and inspire creative direction, or later-stage testing of brand ideas, advertising, websites and user journeys. We work closely with creative teams to develop stimulus and make research part of the creative process, rather than something that happens afterwards.
Planning or pitch support
Need extra resource for a new account, a pitch or a busy period? We can provide freelance strategic support for short or medium-term projects, and help you find the right people as the account develops.
Sparking creativity
Our workshops and strategic methodologies can be a great way to find new ideas or refresh your thinking as a team.
Aiding decision making
Creative teams can often fear creative testing research as yet another ‘critical voice’ in the mix. Research by people who understand the creative process, how communication works and use research to help creative fly.
Managing expectations
So much of agency life can be about making sure client expectations are met and that they don’t suddenly feel like they’re heading in the wrong direction. A well managed strategic process can help make sure everyone’s on the same journey.
Enhancing relationships
Above all we always remember they are YOUR clients and we’re here to support you in strengthening that relationship as you help them achieve their goals.
Finding insight
We’re big believers in early stage research that helps guide direction and make sure creative or idea development is really aligned with customer need.
Resource challenges
Things can move fast! We’ve been in that situation where things are busy than they’ve ever been then the phone rings for another pitch. Or two. If you need to extend your strategic resource quickly we can move as fast as you.
Why agencies use us
To bring in another perspective
Sometimes a project benefits from someone outside the agency team who can challenge the thinking without competing for the work.
To strengthen the client relationship
You're still leading the relationship. We're there to help you give the client confidence in the process and get to a better answer.
To bring research into the creative process
Research shouldn't just arrive at the end to approve or reject an idea. Used well, it can help shape the work from the start.
To add resource when things get busy
Agency workloads change quickly. We can add experienced strategic and planning resource when you need it, without adding permanent headcount.