ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the structure of the marketing industry, clearly distinguishes between the concepts of “client” and “agency” and considers the various roles within the industry. It outlines the briefing and pitching process through which client organisations identify the most appropriate agencies for a given task and then discusses the challenges that arise as a result of the client-agency relationship. Organisations that function within the marketing industry can be roughly divided into two camps: those that are “client” and those that are “agency”. “Client” organisations may be defined as those in possession of a particular brand, product or service who have the objective of marketing it to a group of customers or consumers. “Client” organisations can take many forms, from large multinationals such as The Coca-Cola Corporation, which market a variety of brands across all continents, to sole traders catering for localised markets.
