Media independents have in general met the objectives which they were originally set up for. They have helped and continue to help deconstruct the agency business, which we all know has been languishing with an archaic compensation system. Media independents have also brought more accountability to media investment, and better value for clients with proprietary research and tools. Last, but not the least, the business model works very well for media independent agencies, and all have been seeing healthy growth.
In this light, it is inconceivable to think that we will ever be able to bring the planners back into the agency.
However, Locke's comment on whether media independents are serving to build the brand is a genuine concern. They have become so independent in their relationship with clients that they have probably lost the relationship they used to have with the creative teams (when they were part of the agency), and hence with the brand. What is missing today is the seamless presentation to client that we used to have when media was part of the agency.
The word creativity does not mean the same thing to advertising agencies and media independents. To the agency it is the big brand idea that can be manifested in one, or many, channels to the benefit of the brand. To media independents creativity is creative media opportunity that is broadly in line with the brand essence ( cost effective, naturally) and generally tactical in nature. It is important to realise that great creative work needs less media investment to stand out and by the same token great creative work deserves extra media dollars for even greater impact. It is creativity that is central to the decision of how we should spend the media monies.
Therefore, the first accountability of any media independent should be to ensure it is plugged in with the creative and account teams in the agency to be part of the big creative picture. Most media independents have a structure in place. This comes primarily from their proprietary research. And most media independents have soft tools (planning and buying tools). What is critical is the ideation that happens from the structure (proprietary research) to the tools. If the ideation does not happen with the creative agency, both the structure and the planning tools cannot be effectively used. It requires courage and positive attitude to recognise that for an effective brand partnership, we need the two parties (agency and the media independent) to work together as a team. In the instance cited by Locke, the media independent would have benefited immensely by working with the creative team even though it was a pitch situation. In the event, the agency did not win the business the media independent would have gained from collaborating with the agency. It is a gross injustice to the brand if the left hand does not know what the right hand is doing.