Last week, The Wall Street Journal reported on an evolution in marketing - the end of the old agency model. In short, 2024 will see startups, mid-sized brands and Fortune 500s canceling their agency of record (AOR) contracts with industry titans in favor of working with a few much smaller shops that offer truly specialized services and expertise. So, what do small agencies offer that the big guys can't (or won't)? Let me tell you. Here are five reasons why big brands are leaving big agencies behind:
✔ BUDGET (OF COURSE!)
Let's face it: ongoing inflation and an uncertain economic outlook are making things hard for businesses, nonprofits and associations, regardless of industry or focus. Hiring a small, independent agency could help you meet bold goals and make a bigger impact with your marketing dollars – no matter how small your budget may be.
✔ QUALITY & CARE
Smaller agencies often put quality over quantity because they're not high-volume production factories that can only work on a big scale. At Bond, we put pride in work over huge profits.
✔ SPEED & AGILITY
Smaller agencies and solopreneur freelancers can often commit to projects and get ramped up faster than their larger counterparts. And they can be more agile in their approach to delivering meaningful campaigns and compelling content. (The bigger guys? A lot of bluster and romance up front but not a lot of doing for the dollar.)
✔ HONESTY & TRANSPARENCY
Smaller agency teams can't afford to take on projects that aren't a good fit, so they'll often tell you straight up when they can't give something their best. We don't take on new work if it's not our area of expertise. Bigger shops sometimes have a "sign now, figure it out later" philosophy to business development. We've seen this fail and it ain't pretty.
✔ EMPATHY & ENTHUSIASM
The team at Bond knows what it's like to run a marketing shop, own a small business, balance a budget and cheer on a team, all while keeping an eye toward the horizon for the future of everything. And because content and brand marketing are our two passions, we love to help organizations, nonprofits, companies and causes create campaigns and creative that break through. It truly makes our day when we can help our clients get back to doing what they do best.