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To some it may just seem to be the latest buzz
word in the marcoms
industry, but media neutrality is being hailed as the way forward
to ensure that clients are offered the solution best suited to their
problem.
It is universally recognised that it is impossible for agencies to
employ staff so that every single field of expertise is covered.
In practical terms, this is being seen in the trend for marketing
services groups that draw on the expertise of some of the most
talented and respected people in the marcoms world.
The primary objective is to offer clients a refreshing alternative
to marketing by virtue of a more integrated and media neutral
mentality. Keen proponents of this approach as a sustainable
strategy are Chris Parry, former chairman and managing director
of FCA! and Richard Stephens, managing director of Creative Direction
Consultants.
As a result, the forward-looking duo have launched Direction Group,
which aims to significantly improve the way clients select and engage
the increasingly wide range of specialist marketing services needed
to achieve their objectives. The Group provides a single point of
client contact to a wide alliance of ‘best of breed’ independent
marketing specialist companies. The many services provided range
from project management, research, consultancy, creative services
and disciplines such as advertising, PR, print, direct marketing,
digital media, logistics, merchandising, sales promotion,
exhibitions/events and conferences.
“This is exactly what companies need,” agrees David
Lale, managing
director of forum3, an annual recruitment exhibition in the not for
profit sector.
“In the normal course of events, we engage a range of professionals
from stand designers and printers to PR consultants, so the media
neutral option would be ideal for us.”
This alliance of skills ensures that clients are offered exactly what
they are looking for…unbiased advice. There are already 12 independent
UK and European partner companies within the Group, with a combined
turnover of over £50M. Further specialist service providers
are now
under review.
The founding directors both realised that this was the perfect time
to
launch. Stephens says: “Today, clients are looking for increased
efficiency and better value from their marketing budgets. Direction
Group is a ‘single door’ to many marketing service companies
and provides clients with an impartial and powerful management proposition.”
Charles Hicks, director of agency BBP&H, which also offers a media
neutral approach to marketing opportunities, concurs: “Ad agencies
all
too often fail to provide cost-effectiveness when managing mixed
marketing services and so clients have gone out to purchase direct.
But this can be difficult and they still want to be sure they are
being
offered the best marketing solution. Only a truly media-neutral group
of well managed, independent service providers can do this for them.”
Parry adds: “We do not regard advertising or any other marketing
discipline as the lynch pin of a campaign nor indeed that the lead
force be an advertising agency. Instead, we believe in ascertaining
the solution to the brief and then deciding how best to reach the
client’s
target market to deliver the most effective message using the marketing
specialists in the group. If you knock on the door of an advertising
agency, it will tell you the solution is advertising, likewise with
any
other single specialist company. At the Direction Group, we have
absolutely no bias towards any one marketing discipline.”
Companies like Direction Group are the hub for all marketing activity.
This allows the client to appoint a lead agency from within the
organisation and then gain access to different specialist skills
that best meet its objectives and achieve the desired result. From
start to finish, project management ensures a single, smooth and
efficient process is maintained. David
Lale concludes: “We have heard about media neutrality for
some
time, but still not met an agency that truly adheres to the dictum.
It is refreshing to see that at last some marketing service groups
are offering a solution rather than just pushing their single area
of expertise onto us. As clients, we look for a solution to our
problems
and opportunities and we do not really care where this lies, sales
promotion, advertising, direct mail etc. I appreciate that some
companies are now trying to help us rather than fleece us.”
For further information, please contact:
Richard Stephens
DirectionGroup
Tel: 0118 989 8104
Mob: 07836 587096
Email: richards@directiongroup.co.uk
www.directiongroup.co.uk
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