The just released 2004 Salz Survey of Advertiser-Agency Relations paints an uneven picture of the agency-advertiser relationship.
- Twenty percent of advertisers claimed sales had greatly improved over last year but only eight percent of agencies report income having greatly improved.
- Seven percent of advertisers said sales were slightly worse while 19 percent of agencies said their income was worse.
- Fifty percent of advertisers reported more advertiser-agency teamwork while 35 percent of agencies felt that way.
- Eighteen percent of advertisers said there was less teamwork as compared to eight percent of agencies.
- Fifty five percent of advertisers claimed an increased focus on the advertiser-agency relationship while only 12 percent of agencies though that way.
- Fifteen percent of advertisers said there was less focus on client needs yet no agency respondents agreed there was less focus.
- Of advertisers, 23.7 percent felt their sales would increase in agencies were allowed to do their best work. While that metric had a high of 31.4 percent in 1997, it’s usually hovered around 20 percent. Less than one quarter of advertisers think an agency’s best work can improve their sales.
Not to be too harsh on the two groups but it sounds like agencies are a bunch of whiners while advertisers don’t respect advertising’s role in effecting sales.
