Interactive vs. Traditional Agencies: What's Best for Your Brand?

February 18, 2010

Interactive vs. Traditional Agencies: Who Will Dominate?

The 20th century traditional agency and the 21st century interactive agency are battling for ultimate control of brand. With marketing budgets shifting to include more toward digital solutions, interactive agencies are positioned to compete. Many businesses doubt the capabilities of their traditional agencies and are seeking more digital marketing experience through Interactive agencies.

Here are some statistics on “the great race”:

- A recent Forrester* survey of 100 global interactive marketers revealed that 46% believe they need a digital agency to properly plan and manage interactive marketing activities. 23% believe that their traditional agency is up to the task. And 31% were neutral.
- Even though marketing budgets are shifting toward digital, few clients are willing to give interactive agencies control of their brand. A slim 22% of marketers were ready to let their interactive agency lead their brand. 33% felt that their digital agency was NOT ready to lead their brand and an even larger 45% were undecided.
- Companies that have recently selected interactive agencies to be the brand “agency of record” include; McAfee, California Bank & Trust, Ameriprise Financial, Autodesk, Ask.com and others.

Forrester’s study found that ideally, companies would prefer to work with a single agency. 60% of those surveyed currently work with 2 or more agencies but hope to change that in the future. Of course, when it comes to showing results, digital solutions offer an abundance of data, which gives interactive agencies the advantage. But the solid and varied knowledge base of traditional marketing agencies is still highly valuable as is the trust that has been built over many years of collaboration. The ultimate agency would combine strategy, technology and creativity offering true immersive brand experiences that plays on the synergies of Internet and print mediums.

This is the mission of McAdams Group. We are dedicated to fusing together web, social and print media into a marketing force that can MAKE BIGGER WAVES for our clients. If you are looking for one agency to help your brand dominate now and in the future, look no further. Contact McAdams Group today.

* Corcoran, Sean with Sargent, Peter; Cummings, Thomas; Wise; Jennifer. State of Interactive Agencies: Interactive Marketers Should Prepare For An Even More Complex Agency Portfolio. Forrester. December 7, 2009. http://www.forrester.com/rb/Research/state_of_interactive_agencies/q/id/55413/t/2

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