ABSTRACT

An a la carte agency co-ordinates a range of specialist agencies on behalf of an organization and outsources the work across a range of other specialist agencies. This option provides great flexibility but integration of campaigns can be problematic

n Professionalism n Creativity n Understanding the brief n Can work across all media n Ability to integrate campaigns n Cost n Compatibility n Can work internationally (if appropriate)

Scheduled meetings are usually agreed to ensure effective communication. Account managers brief creatives, media buyers, planners, etc. and usually maintain the client-agency interface

n Current situation n Promotional objectives n Target markets n Product/service n Budget n Competitors n Timescales

Before choosing an agency, or even on a regular review basis, organizations will ask a number of agencies to bid or ‘pitch’ for the account. This involves the agency coming up with ideas for a specific brief in competition with other agencies. This is often a costly exercise for agencies

Agencies have traditionally been paid on commission from media owners when they buy space or time. Agencies have been suspected of recommending media on the basis of commission rather than on relevance. This has led to some agencies being paid on a project-by-project or retainer basis

Clients are tending to demand more measurement of campaigns. This has led to the incorporation of response mechanisms and a general shift away from traditional advertising campaigns

Agencies inspired by their clients with international markets have, as a result of mergers, acquisitions and alignments, opened subsidiaries or associates all over the world

Global clients are increasingly appointing global agencies to handle their business worldwide

To meet the threat from multinational agencies, some independent agencies have formed networks to enable clients to access a global service. Examples are CDP Europe, Alliance International and ELAN (European Local Advertising Network)

To pursue a global communications strategy, a company has to use a global agency, or one in a global network, to ensure that a single strategy is communicated in all markets. This way the agency has to coordinate work across several markets. However sometimes local expertise is needed

As domestic markets reach saturation, organizations move into international markets

1. Domestic markets

2. Infrequent foreign marketing

3. Regular foreign marketing

4. International marketing

5. Global marketing

With global marketing, companies have standardized business activities and single marketing communications strategies, whereas with multinational companies the differences in markets are recognized with individual programmes for each of its subsidiaries

The move to standardized marketing communications programmes is often driven by the high costs of producing separate campaigns for individual markets

campaigns, where identical advertising is used apart from voice-overs in the local language. The problem with standardized campaigns is that the brand may be at a different stage in its development in different countries, or, that by striving for universal appeal, the result is bland and boring

n Language – it is necessary to re-interpret messages both verbal and visual rather than simply translate. They otherwise can create a negative impact

n Culture and tradition – advertising messages must not contradict existing cultural beliefs

– differ from one market to another, e.g. different regulations concerning sales promotions

n Buying habits – buying norms and product usage differ, e.g. in Europe shopping is done on a weekly rather than a daily basis as in less developed countries

n Standards of living – different levels of wealth determine product purchase and consumption

n Media availability – television may not be available or potential consumers may not be literate

n Competitive environment – it is unlikely that a brand can occupy the same position in all the markets it is available in, due to differences in competition

n Controls and regulations – legislative controls and voluntary self-regulation in different countries can restrict marketing communications campaigns and messages

In the UK alone there are many different forms of regulations which attempt to control the use of communications. These tend to be a mix of legislation and voluntary self-regulation

Parliamentary acts, e.g. Office of Communications Act 2002

Codes of Practice, e.g. those operated by ASA (Advertising Standards Authority)

The ASA is responsible for implementing the code of practice drawn up by the Committee for Advertising Practice (CAP)

n Legal, decent, honest and truthful n Prepared with a sense of responsibility to

consumers and society n Concur with principles of fair competition

n Press n Outdoor n Cinema n Direct mail n Leaflets n Brochures n Catalogues n Inserts n Fax marketing n Sales promotions n Internet (banner ads, commercial e-mails and online sales promotions)

Television scripts are vetted by the Broadcast Advertising Clearing Centre (BACC) and radio commercials by the Radio Authority Copy Clearing Centre

Under the Communications Act 2003, Ofcom has become the regulator for the UK communications industries, with responsibility across television, radio, telecommunications and the wireless communications industries

Consumers can ‘opt out’ of receiving postal, telephone, fax and e-mail marketing by registering with the Direct Marketing Association’s (DMA) preference services. DMA approved organizations guarantee to check their databases against the ‘opt out’ lists

Various acts have been passed that determine the acceptability and use of marketing communications activities

Latest amendments to the data protection legislation in the UK protects consumers from the misuse of their personal information. Customers now need to ‘opt in’ to agree to information being stored and used for marketing purposes

Examples of legislation: n Consumer Protection Act (1987) n Control of Misleading Advertisement

Regulations (1988) n Trade Descriptions Act (1968) n Sale of Goods Act (1979) n Data Protection Act (1984)

It is essential to understand the different agency structures that exist and the basis on which agencies should be selected

It is also important to revise how an organization manages its relationship with agencies and what a brief comprises. An effective relationship with an agency influences the effectiveness of a client’s marketing communications activities

the factors that influence marketing communications in an international context

Finally, it is necessary to consider the various regulatory factors that control advertising and other marketing communications activities. It is advisable to be able to compare the UK voluntary and legislative controls with that of at least one other country

Go to www.cimvirtualinstitute.com and www.marketingonline.co.uk for additional support and guidance