Agenda’s are funny things. Everyone has one, hidden or not. It helps us define purpose, direction and creates motivation. A meeting without an agenda is considered a waste of time. In the world of business it is no different. Particularly when it comes to marketing services. And yet we forget to question whose agenda are we fulfilling?

Over the years the relationship between brands and their agencies has always been an interesting one. They have shifted from being a simple service supplier to a business partner to trusted advisor. Those relationships have weathered many storms. Kick-backs, sorry agency commission were forced into the light a while ago and demands for transparency means that smart clients have been aware for some time how their agencies generate revenue. More recently there were the issues around programmatic advertising, with brands taking their operations back in-house after concerns that customer data wasn’t being used responsibly.

There was also a  time when the fashion was for ‘media-neutral’ planning. I don’t know if we pretend that still goes on but the bottom line is that most agencies are not impartial. They are there to sell an idea to a client. Their business models are such that the idea will likely be heavily influenced by three things. Firstly, the strengths of a particular agency, secondly, the relationship they have with media owners and thirdly what will make them the best return.

We know that this is the way the world has worked in the past but given that our recent research paper (link) indicated that 60% of CMO’s believe the agency model is no longer fit for purpose, and just 11% are not completely satisfied that their agencies best thinkers are spending enough time on their business,  maybe it time for new models.

So how about this. Let someone help with properly defining the problem. Don’t waste your energy and resources on validating the solution.

Then ask a diverse range of brilliant thinkers to come back with a range of solutions. They work anonymously as they have been there and done that.. The thinking is what interests them not the fame.

Then work together with experienced practitioners to hone it into a final proposal. All for a flat fee. No commission, no bias, no agenda. Just problems solved at speed.

Since the world appears to be moving to a smoke free, meat free place. How about Agenda Free?

If that appeals then let's talk.