Client Agency Barometer

The Client
Agency
Barometer

Meaningful Brands™
2022 Special report

Fact highlight

58%

of procurement leaders say they are now future focused in their role

As they are increasingly responsible for driving innovation and adopting new strategies, the development of a meaningful relationship is key to being a source of transformation

About

To foster meaningful brand relationships with consumers, clients need to be in healthy partnerships with agencies

Our 2022 Meaningful Brands™ report identifies a growing gap between clients and agencies, driven not by traditional factors like ego or cost, but by a new agenda focused on transformation.

This shift, prompted by systemic disruptions in businesses due to factors such as changing consumer behavior, the global pandemic, and technological advancements, places a heightened emphasis on innovation and transformation. However, our study highlights a concerning lack of engagement, as agencies struggle to meet these evolving expectations. But there is hope. Our study also reveals the factors that will make the biggest positive difference.

Facts

1 in 4

see transformation as the most important thing they do

This is a far cry from the traditional view of procurement, which focuses on numbers and cutting costs

Facts

56%

believe their agencies ‘over promise and under deliver’

There is a disconnect between what procurement needs and what agencies are providing. To develop a meaningful relationship means building a way to understand the impact of your actions on the business

Facts

1 in 5

believe that agencies present innovation that is new and shiny, rather than what’s right for their client’s business

Agencies need to focus on the ability to deliver appropriate innovation. Meaningful innovation serves business objectives as a key area for improvement for agencies

Facts

42%

of poeple believe ‘the only way to improve our agency relationships is to put the business up for pitch’

For many, there’s no equity in the partnership – it’s easier to start again than to fix it. It’s now clearer than ever that meaningful relationships make up meaningful partnerships