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Exploring Trust in Finance

Exploring Trust in Finance

David Sandstrom, CMO at Klarna
where-next-series

Welcome to another episode of "BeenThere/DoneThat WhereNext?" - a series by BeenThere/DoneThat, where our host and co-founder, David Alberts, delves into conversations with industry experts.

In this episode, David sits down with David Sandstrom, Chief Marketing Officer at Klarna, and the two begin 'Exploring Trust in Finance'.

In each episode of this series, David poses three questions to his guests:

  1. What’s the biggest challenge you are facing today?
  2. In an ideal world, where do you imagine this could go?
  3. What’s the first step you would take to get us to where we need to be?
Full Funnel Management

Full Funnel Management

Jeff Jarrett, NA CMO at Bayer
where-next-series

Welcome to another episode of "BeenThere/DoneThat WhereNext?" - a series by BeenThere/DoneThat, where our host and co-founder, David Alberts, delves into conversations with industry experts.

In this episode, David sits down with Jeff Jarrett, NA CMO at Bayer, as they explore the challenges of 'Full Funnel Management', particularly the role data plays in bolstering the upper funnel and creating meaningful exposure to consumers.

In each episode of this series, David poses three questions to his guests:

  1. What’s the biggest challenge you are facing today?
  2. In an ideal world, where do you imagine this could go?
  3. What’s the first step you would take to get us to where we need to be?
Good Media

Good Media

Jerry Daykin, VP & Head of Global Media, Beam Suntory
where-next-series

Welcome to another episode of "BeenThere/DoneThat WhereNext?" - a series by BeenThere/DoneThat, where our host and co-founder, David Alberts, delves into conversations with industry experts.

In this episode, David sits down with Jerry Daykin, VP and Head of Global Media at Beam Suntory, as they explore 'Good Media' by analysing the opportunities and landscape around Media.

In each episode of this series, David poses three questions to his guests:

  1. What’s the biggest challenge you are facing today?
  2. In an ideal world, where do you imagine this could go?
  3. What’s the first step you would take to get us to where we need to be?
Harnessing Connectivity

Harnessing Connectivity

Craig Elimeliah, CCO at Lippe Taylor
where-next-series

Welcome to another episode of "BeenThere/DoneThat WhereNext?" - a series by BeenThere/DoneThat, where our host and co-founder, David Alberts, delves into conversations with industry experts.

In this episode, David sits down with Craig Elimeliah, Chief Creative Officer at Lippe Taylor, as they explore the importance of 'Harnessing Connectivity' and the role that organisations must play in order to create moments of connection with their consumers.

In each episode of this series, David poses three questions to his guests:

  1. What’s the biggest challenge you are facing today?
  2. In an ideal world, where do you imagine this could go?
  3. What’s the first step you would take to get us to where we need to be?
Short v Long Impact

Short v Long Impact

Hilary Batsel, Senior Director, Global Media, Microsoft
where-next-series

Welcome to another episode of "BeenThere/DoneThat WhereNext?" - a series by BeenThere/DoneThat, where our host and co-founder, David Alberts, delves into conversations with industry experts.

In this episode, David sits down with Hilary Batsel, Senior Director of Global Media at Microsoft, as they explore the balance between 'Short vs Long Impact' opportunities and how these can be created, nurtured and balanced.

In each episode of this series, David poses three questions to his guests:

  1. What’s the biggest challenge you are facing today?
  2. In an ideal world, where do you imagine this could go?
  3. What’s the first step you would take to get us to where we need to be?
Why Being Diverse at the Core is Key to Genuine Change

Why Being Diverse at the Core is Key to Genuine Change

Alia Kemet, CMO at Shipt
where-next-series

Welcome to another episode of "BeenThere/DoneThat WhereNext?" - a series by BeenThere/DoneThat, where our host and co-founder, David Alberts, delves into conversations with industry experts.

In this episode, David sits down with Alia Kemet, CMO at Shipt. Together they explore why being diverse at the core is key to genuine change.

In each episode of this series, David poses three questions to his guests:

  1. What’s the biggest challenge you are facing today?
  2. In an ideal world, where do you imagine this could go?
  3. What’s the first step you would take to get us to where we need to be?
The Power of Community & The Network Effect

The Power of Community & The Network Effect

Ted Rubin, Leading Social Marketing Strategist and Keynote Speaker
where-next-series

Welcome to another episode of "BeenThere/DoneThat WhereNext?" - a series by BeenThere/DoneThat, where our host and co-founder, David Alberts, delves into conversations with industry experts.

In this episode, David sits down with Ted Rubin to explore "The Power of Community & The Network Effect."

In each episode of this series, David poses three questions to his guests:

  1. What’s the biggest challenge you are facing today?
  2. In an ideal world, where do you imagine this could go?
  3. What’s the first step you would take to get us to where we need to be?
Fuel For Thought 50

Fuel For Thought 50

thought-pieces

1. Tortoise

"Tortoise is a response to two problems The daily noise: we are overwhelmed by information. The problem isn’t just fake news or junk news, because there’s a lot that’s good – it’s just that there’s so much of it, and so much of it is the same. In a hurry, partial and confusing. Too many newsrooms chasing the news, but missing the story. The power gap: the divide between the powerful and the powerless is widening. We feel locked out. Alarmed by the lack of vision, hungry for leadership in business, technology and society. We believe in responsibility; we care about dignity.".

Click here to visit the website

               

2. South by South West

Founded in 1987 in Austin, Texas, SXSW is best known for its conference and festivals that celebrate the convergence of the interactive, film, and music industries. South By Southwest dedicates itself to helping creative people achieve their goals.

Click here to visit the website

3. Summit

Through a series of invitation-only events, Summit fosters a global community of entrepreneurs, academics, athletes, artists, astronauts, authors, chefs, engineers, explorers, philanthropists, spiritual leaders, scientists, and beyond.

Click here to visit the website

4. Anna Jones: A modern way to cook

Anna Jones is a cook, writer, the voice of modern vegetarian cooking and the author of the bestselling A Modern Way to Eat, A Modern Way to Cook, The Modern Cook’s Year, and most recently, One. On her website you can find her blog, recipes, videos, books and more.

Click here to visit the website

5. Notion

Notion is an all-in-one workspace for you (free) or your team. The idea is that under one tool, everyone sees the whole picture and nothing gets lost. Your team can collaborate in real time, invite and share with one another, embed current tools and much more.

Click here to visit the website

               

6. Crowd DNA

Crowd DNA uses various methods ranging from narrated galleries to citizen journalism to conduct a variety of crowd sourced case studies in the latest trends and topics.

Click here to visit the website

7. Substack

Substack aim to build a better future for writing. They believe you read what matters and good writing is valuable. When readers pay writers directly, writers focus on doing work they care about most. Readers, as a result, can also be more selective with how we consume information, honing in on the ideas, people, and places we find most meaningful.

Click here to visit the website

8. Every

Founded in 2021, Every deliver a bundle of business focussed newsletters that they write analysis and commentary on from the perspective of the practitioner. Every serves curious and ambitious readers in every industry, every job function, and every topic in business. Every believe that the stories told today shape businesses of tomorrow.

Click here to visit the website

9. The Verge

The Verge examines how technology changes life in the future for a massive mainstream audience.

Click here to visit the website

10. Pop Culture Happy Hour

"Stay pop culture savvy with NPR’s guide to TV, books, movies, music and more, sent weekly."

Click here to visit the website

11. Non Obvious Insights

Rohit Bhargava curates a newsletter that includes 5-6 under appreciated brilliant stories you may have missed throughout the week. He promises to send one email weekly, every Thursday, with non-obvious stories to help you see the world differently and in a more interesting light.

Click here to visit the website

12. The Prof G Show

Scott Galloway believes we live in a 'winner-take-all' economy. In his Prof G Show, Scott answers his lsiteners questions on winning and losing, and how you can get ahead. No mercy, no malice takes on how to get a leg up in the world of business. In each episode, you'll hear contributing or alternative insights from professors, practitioners and entrepreneurs.

Click here to visit the website

13. Yale Climate Connections

A website and podcast that explores the latest news and research on climate change, as well as solutions and strategies for mitigating its impacts. The content is accessible and informative, with a focus on practical solutions.

Click here to visit the website

14. Wunderman Thompson

Wunderman Thompson Intelligence has created a think tank for the futures tank Wunderman Thompson. Their team identifies new consumer behaviors, and upcoming innovation in lifestyle sectors. By using a holistic approach to research and strategy, they are able to present the world with the most current insights.

Click here to view the website

15. Fast Company

"Fast Company is the world’s leading business media brand, with an editorial focus on innovation in technology, leadership, world changing ideas, creativity, and design. Written for and about the most progressive business leaders, Fast Company inspires readers to think expansively, lead with purpose, embrace change, and shape the future of business."

Click here to visit the website

16. The Future Laboratory

A consultancy that believes in the future, The Future Laboratory is focused on trend forecasting, consumer insights, brand strategy and innovation. They work to help clients adapt current trends and stay relevant in an ever changing consumer market.

Click here to visit the website

17. The Guardian Environment Section

The Guardian's environment section covers climate change, sustainability, and environmental issues in Europe and around the world. It offers news, analysis, and opinion pieces from journalists and experts.

Click here to visit the website

               

18. Harvard Business Review

"Harvard Business Review Group Harvard Business Review is the leading destination for smart management thinking. Through its flagship magazine, books, and digital content and tools published on HBR.org, Harvard Business Review aims to provide professionals around the world with rigorous insights and best practices to help lead themselves and their organizations more effectively and to make a positive impact."

Click here to visit the website

               

19. The Atlantic

The Atlantic covers news, politics, culture, technology, health, and more, through its articles, podcasts, videos, and flagship magazine. The Atlantic look for the truth above the story and go beyond what happens to find what matters by embracing a diversity of perspectives and immersing themselves in the world rather than escaping from it.

Click here to visit the website

               

20. The Energy Gang

A podcast that explores the latest developments in clean energy and sustainability, as well as the business and policy implications of the transition to a low-carbon economy. The hosts are experts in the field and offer insightful analysis and commentary.

Click here to visit the website

               

21. ZedBooks/ZedScholar

ZED is a platform for marganilised voices across the globe. They publish content for an international audience of thoughtful and engaged readers and thinkers. ZED publish a range of content from general interest books to highly specialised scholarly research. ZEDBooks is for socially and politically meaningful books, published for general readers as well, as the academic market, with writers from around the world. ZEDScholar is for ZED's scholarly output is geared towards our mission of making the academy and academic publishing more diverse, inclusive and international.

Click here to visit the website

               

22. GatesNotes

Gates Notes is a hub for Bill's thoughts on pressing global issues and potential solutions. Gates shares thoughts about the people that he meets, the books that he is reading, and what he is learning in hope others join in on the conversation to improve global health and tackle climate change. You can watch videos, subscribe to e-mails, view photo essays and more.

Click here to visit the website

               

23. Desert Island Discs

Eight tracks, a book and a luxury: what would you take to a desert island? Guests share the soundtrack of their lives. On Desert Island Discs, guests explain their choices and discuss key moments in their lives, people and events that have influenced and inspired them and brought them to where they are today.

Click here to visit the website

               

24. Guernica Mag

Guernica is an award-winning non-profit magazine focused on the intersection of arts and politics. Run entirely by a staff of volunteers, Guernica is also the grateful recipient of federal and private support. A home for incisive ideas and necessary questions, we publish memoir, reporting, interviews, commentary, poetry, fiction, and multimedia journalism exploring identity, conflict, culture, justice, science, and beyond.

Click here to visit the website

               

25. Industry Dive Publications

Industry Dive help decision-makers stay ahead in competitive industries by producing the business world's most respected journalism. Their insights spark innovation, fuel growth and shape agendas in every industry we cover.

Click here to visit the website

               

26. European Environment Agency

The European Environment Agency provides information on the environment in Europe, including climate change, sustainability, and environmental policy. It offers reports, data, and indicators to inform decision-making and policy development.

Click here to visit the website

               

27. Medium

Medium is an open platform where 170 million readers find insightful and dynamic thinking. On Medium expert and undiscovered voices alike dive into the heart of any topic and bring new ideas to the surface. Medium's purpase is to spread these ideas and deepen understanding of the world by having their community write and read on their platform.

Click here to visit the website

               

28. Into the Woods: How Stories Work and Why We Tell Them

We all love stories. But why do we tell them? And why do all stories function in an eerily similar way? John Yorke, creator of the BBC Writers' Academy, has brought a vast array of drama to British screens. Here he takes us on a journey to the heart of storytelling, revealing that there truly is a unifying shape to narrative forms - one that echoes the fairytale journey into the woods and, like any great art, comes from deep within. From ancient myths to big-budget blockbusters, he gets to the root of the stories that are all around us, every day.

Click here to visit the website

               

29. The Browser

Every day the Browser Newsletter scans hundreds of articles to recommend five outstanding stories for you to enjoy, so you'll always have interesting things to ponder and fascinating ideas to discuss at dinner.

Click here to visit the website

               

30. Reasons To Be Cheerful

Reasons to be Cheerful is a non-profit editorial project that is tonic for tumultuous times. Many of these reasons come in the form of smart, proven, replicable solutions to the world’s most pressing problems. Through sharp reporting, our stories balance a sense of healthy optimism with journalistic rigor, and find cause for hope. Reasons to be Cheerful are part magazine, part therapy session, part blueprint for a better world.

Click here to visit the website

               

31. HBR Idea Cast

A weekly podcast that covers topics such as leadership, entrepreneurship, technology, and decision making. Each week.

Click here to visit the website

               

32. Internet Pipes

Insights are scattered across the web in plain sight, and with the right knowledge, anyone can access them. Internet Pipes exists to give you that access. If all goes well, you will walk away with an upgraded pair of “Internet glasses” that give you a high-fidelity view of what people actually desire. What you do with that information is up to you.

Click here to visit the website

               

33. Renegades: Born in the USA

A podcast featuring a series of conversations between President Barack Obama and Bruce Springsteen about their lives, music, and enduring love of America.

Click here to visit the website

               

34. In Search of Black History with Bonnie Greer

I’ve listened to this podcast so many times now, and every time I find something new, insightful and inspiring there. This podcast challenges perceptions of who we are and where we come from, how we think about race, whether race is even a thing, how slavery has become a twisted prism through which we view antiquity and more, and more, and more. Excellent stuff.

Click here to visit the website

               

35. The Syllabus

Eveygy Morozov's tailored 'expert guide to the digital public sphere', brilliantly categorised, beautifully designed, plus you get your own 'cabinet' if you pay.

Click here to visit the website

               

36. Readwise

Genius service that sends regular emails with highlights you've made in Kindle/Pocket/Medium etc., plus suggestions of other things to read.

Click here to visit the website

               

37. The New York Times Newsletter

A variety of options allowing you to receive customizable content in the form of a newsletter straight to your email.

Click here to visit the website

               

38. Climate Home News

iClimate Home News is a news organization that covers climate change and sustainability issues in Europe and around the world. It offers in-depth reporting and analysis of policy, science, and technology developments.

Click here to visit the website

               

39. "Money Stuff" by Matt Levine

Matt Levine's newsletter "Money Stuff," for anyone who wants to understand financial markets a little better. It's a daily newsletter that's very well written and always helps me learn something new.

Click here to visit the website

               

40. Sociology of Business

Same goes for Ana Andjelic' "Sociology of Business" newsletter, which sometimes shares stuff you already know, but often gives you a new angle.

Click here to visit the website

               

41. Future Crunch

Traditional keynotes and workshops, as well as professionally produced, interactive digital presentations to present new knowledge.

Click here to visit the website

               

42. Trends 24

Twitter's trending hashtags by the hour based on geographical location.

Click here to visit the website

               

43. It's Nice That

It’s Nice That believes passionately that creative inspiration is for everyone, and by championing the most exciting and engaging work online, in print and through our events programmes, we want to open up this world to the widest possible audience. Their platforms that reach nearly two millioin people each month include the It’s Nice That website, a bi-annual magazine, and our monthly talks series, Nicer Tuesdays. You can also register for various newsletters or simply browse their shared articles.

Click here to visit the website

               

44. This is Colossal

"Called the “Tate Modern of the Internet,” Colossal is an international platform for contemporary art and visual expression that explores a vast range of creative disciplines. With an archive of over 6,700 articles written by seven contributors, we pride ourselves in celebrating the work of both emerging and established artists through an ongoing commitment to make art accessible to everyone. Our coverage explores visual culture through the latest in fine art, design, modern craft, street art, photography, illustration, science, and animation."

Click here to visit the website

               

45. Little White Lies

Movie Reviews & Articles, designed.

Click here to visit the website

               

46. Climate Action Network Europe

Climate Action Network Europe is a network of NGOs that works on climate change and sustainability issues in Europe. Its website offers news, policy analysis, and events related to EU and national climate policies.

Click here to visit the website

               

47. Effective Altruism

A broad community of people working on a diverse set of projects with a common goal: doing as much good as possible.

Click here to visit the website

               

48. Delayed Gratification

A magazine that tells you about global events after they've happened, with research, infographics and well written pieces - the opposite of fake and on demand news!

Click here to visit the website

               

49. 350.org

350.org is a grassroots organization that works on climate change issues, including reducing carbon emissions and transitioning to renewable energy. Its website offers information on its campaigns, actions, and events, as well as resources for individuals and communities to get involved in climate activism.

Click here to visit the website

               

50. Making Sense with Sam Harris

Join neuroscientist, philosopher, and best-selling author Sam Harris as he explores some of the most pressing and controversial questions of our time.

Click here to visit the website

How do you navigate today's complex cultural landscape?

How do you navigate today's complex cultural landscape?

thought-pieces

About the webinar:

How Do You Navigate Today's Complex Cultural Landscape?A brand's cultural involvement makes up a full 25% of a consumer's purchase decision¹.But at a time when the cultural landscape is becoming ever more complex and where unheard voices and underserved communities are increasingly finding their voice and demanding representation and recognition, how do you get involved with respect, care, intent, and authenticity so you properly earn that 25%?Join us and our experts as we dive into the big issues, ask the burning questions, help you navigate the pitfalls to avoid and focus on the progress that brands need to make when it comes to harnessing technology to become more culturally connected, than ever before.If you have any questions or want to get in touch, email enquiry@beentheredonethat.co.

Key Takeaways:

  1. Look for meaning not manifestation when it comes to trends. Do you understand the meaning equation for the trend not just how the trend is showing up
  2. Get external. Triangulate and align the evidence by bringing in new perspectives on existing data.
  3. Measure your meaning. Don’t just look for your brands meaning, measure how that meaning is changing in culture to stay relevant.
  4. Research at the edges. Look to the platforms that have nothing to gain to understand the true discourse.

Panelists:

  • Moderated by Nikki Crumpton, Chief Strategy Officer at BeenThereDoneThat.
  • Ujwal Arkalgud, EVP at Lux Research and CEO at MotivIndex.
  • Cherie Leonard, Director of North America Insights at Colgate-Palmolive.
  • Christopher Kenna, (Unable to attend panel on the day), Chairman, Founder and CEO (North America) of Brand Advance Group.
Essential Reading

Essential Reading

thought-pieces

Why your brand needs to be essential to weather the coming recession.

There’s a lot of talk about behaviours during this Covid 19 crisis. How they are changing, how we are adapting and how we are devising new and ingenious ways to stay sane during lockdown. And the discover.ai reports have been helping us decipher what that means for those in charge of brands and reframing their role in this new landscape.

One of the angles it has inspired us to explore is how this crisis has, and will continue, to impact on what people now think of as essential.

You’ve probably heard a lot more of the word ‘Essential’ in the last few months than you might have expected. And that’s because Essential has been one of the most thematic pieces of language during this crisis.

We’ve cheered ‘Essential Workers’, as the light has been shone on the people in the shadows who actually make the world go round.

Amazon has denied us the usual next day deliveries of our inadvisable late night purchases, instead prioritizing essential items. Leading to one Amazon worker deciding that “Kids books are essential, dildos are not”.

As a society, we decided Liquor stores should be deemed essential businesses, which we may or may not live to regret.

We have even seen an awful lot of snark reserved for the self important folks who seemingly prize their ‘essentials’ over the safety of others… “‘No, getting your nails done is not essential…. Karen”

Societal and moral debates aside, this time has pulled into sharp focus what we as individuals deem essential. We’ve had a lot of time to think about the things that make existing truly livable, pleasant, enjoyable and give it meaning and it’s not the things that we thought it was before we entered the crisis.

It’s given us a new found appreciation of the people, the things and the rituals that matter.

What makes something Essential is not one thing, it is often a combination. But the products brands that are winning out have some factors in common. We’ve unpacked the Discover Ai findings, and cross referenced that with brand and market insights to unlock our themes of essentiality.  

Essentialness Defined:

  1. They upgrade me with a new skill or ability
  2. They make me feel savvy, frugal and resourceful and proudly so.
  3. They help me immerse in the moment, escape and leave the ‘real world’ behind
  4. They replenish my optimism and give me a belief in a better world to come and faith in human nature
  5. They inspire an unflinching trust and reliability in what and how they deliver
  6. They make me laugh, grin and smile spontaneously
  7. They connect me to others across geographical and generational divides, creating feelings of shared ritual and shared identity.

But what does all this mean when we move from lockdown to restriction and we face the mother of all economic pandemics that has been spreading and snaking its way round the globe faster than Covid 19.

The one thing that will be unique is lockdown has got us preparing for recession ahead of time.

Recessions normally hit us overnight, markets crash and we are left scrambling to figure out how we will respond.

Brands need to be aware of an army of consumers who are already on a war footing. They are watching this recession coming over the horizon and they are ready... and this is the time for brands to really ask themselves the simple question “Am I essential or will I be deemed excess baggage?’

Our advice is to do the following four things to do your Essential Examination:

  1. Your Brand - Revisit your purpose, reanalyse your DNA. What exactly do you do here…?. How does it fit with the above themes of: Optimism, frugality, upskilling, escapism, connection, levity
  2. Your Product / Service - Rethink about how you explain and champion your value proposition. It’s not a list of your product benefits, it’s the one thing that makes you special, find out why you alone answer the need at this moment.
  3. Your Voice - If your brand character is 5 random words from the dictionary, you're doing it wrong. It’s a time for genuine personality. Rewrite your mission from the heart, without the marketing platitudes.  
  4. Your Plan - Build a strategic communications plan that isn’t just off the peg from last year… find your one or two key messages and hammer them home in the channels that matter.

You will have to make your own sacrifices as a business and focus only on the pointed problems you need to solve. Only concentrate on what’s going to help you put yourself in the pantheon of ‘Essentials’. It might end up being essential work.

Great Minds Don't Think Alike

Great Minds Don't Think Alike

thought-pieces

There has been much written and said in recent years about the importance of diversity. How teams perform better when there is a more equal balance of genders, or how reflecting the ethnic make-up of a local population breaks down community barriers.  Neither of which is untrue. But when we typically think about diversity we consider nationality, race, age and gender. That is lazy thinking. Categorising people in those ways may work wonders for the corporate image but it assumes homogeneity among those groups which is kind of an anathema to the original intention.

‍There is however a different type of diversity that matters, particularly in the realm of problem solving. It’s cognitive diversity. Essentially everyone has a different way of thinking and finding solutions to problems. This could be based on how we process information, whether we are visually or auditory inclined and our individual experiences in life will all shape we solve those problems.  

In business and marketing, where innovation is a key driver of success this has never been more important. For a simple problem one single person might possess all the information needed. But as problems become more complex no one individual will have all the relevant insights. So maybe you look to your wider team? But if you’ve recruited a team of clones (and its certainly more comfortable to work with people like you) then you won't have that range of experiences. Demographically diverse can still be cognitively uniform if, for example you’ve recruited from just one University.

Ultimately there isn’t one single way to solve any given problem and think innovatively which is why tapping into those with alternative experiences allows different, and sometimes unconventional, problem-solving skills to shine through.

It’s why BeenThereDoneThat has created a community of the most diverse creative thinkers from around the world. When we work on your particular problem you’ll be happy to know that whilst someone has direct experience of your brand or competitor, and another may have worked in your category, there will always be others who may not even have heard of you. It’s how we solve your marketing problems, innovatively and quickly.

The US Navy’s office of strategy & innovation (yes, that’s a thing) sums it up perfectly for us. "Innovation requires the ability to question norms, synthesise different views and collaborate to develop unique and powerful solutions. Cognitive diversity is the DNA of innovation."

‍Big shifts need great minds. But great minds don’t think alike. It’s worth thinking about.

Marketing Without Agenda

Marketing Without Agenda

thought-pieces

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.

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