Integrated Agency-of-Record Model for the Campaign - Case Study Example

Presentation Report Name: Course: Tutor: Date: Advertising Agency Lowe Introduction Lowe and Partners network agency is modern and with a difference. Their philosophy as defined by its clients is, “reach without compromise.” This agency is network distinctive since it reaches local culture, hence diverse, has the ability to share, form and engage in proposals that are founded and grounded to meet customers’ needs. This company is competitive and loves challenges thus, work best in categories that are complicated. The populist creativity ideas adhered by the agency works in delivering analysis on core problems and insights brilliant in cultures that are modern. Both online and off line behaviors of clients are changed by this agency because they inspire people into acting. Some of the groups associated with this agency include: OPEN, which is a company that brings retail space back to life; HUGE, aims at driving online success for the agency; ICC Lowe Healthcare, deals with the humanization of healthcare brands; and Lowe Counsel, has been helpful to the agency since it has found their position in popular cult. The functional services of this agency include operational efficiencies in company systems, retrieval and analysis of marketing information, legal and travel services, expertise in the real estate, employee benefits and management of executive compensation programs. The agency has five basic key strengths and values that have been helpful in informing them on how to serve their clients and manage the interaction initiated by colleagues. The agency is a leading global provider of providing marketing solutions due to the fact that they have well displayed values shared by diverse agency cultures and brands. The first strength linked with this agency is strategic creativity incorporating it to company operations. They have been able to bear in mind changes taking place in both communications and media agencies in the globe. This has given them a competitive advantage from other agencies and therefore, clients are streaming in to be offered the various services and products. Their workforce is mainly composed of individuals who are capable of generating new and innovative solutions. These solutions are of great significance to the customer’s of the company. Secondly, the agency dedicates its efforts in ensuring that services provided are executed excellently. In today’s business world, customer needs have become diverse and therefore, requires expertise and knowledge that is functional and greater in meeting their demands. The success of this agency has been as a result of key management personnel being able to organize and deploy key resources of the company to all departments serving clients. Technical skills are incorporated into the personnel to enable them manage creative and innovative ideas into achieving best solutions for their clients. Thirdly, the workforce of the agency is very enthusiastic in achieving success without any exception. They are exceptional in demonstrating their drive and focus in meeting clients’ needs. Their willingness has been consistent in putting the clients’ needs above everything. Lowe agency has succeeded in stretching its capabilities and seizing the opportunity to surpass its aspirations and competitor’s expectations. Fourthly, integrity and transparency are some of the values possessed by the agency. The actions performed by the agency are fair, open and ethical and thus, accountability of individuals and directness has been promoted. In order for any company to survive that challenges, weaknesses, and threats present in the business environment, values need to be upheld by all members working for the company. For Lowe, the values have been a vital compass for their survival and existence in the vibrant and competitive industry. Lastly, collaboration and growth in the agency has been promoted by individuals and their behavior. The management and workforce work together in ensuring that all clients have been attended to without any discrimination. Effective team building programs have been initiated to cultivate open channel of communication, ideas and success sharing. Top management has nurtured their subordinates’ talent plus strengthening of the organization activities through the application of diverse methods. Leaders are encouraging their fellow workers on the importance of dedication to their work by being able to find a common ground in solving existing problems in the company. This technique will be able to see to it that the company gains popularity and attracts other potential customers to their organization. The agency has been successful because it was able to realize its strengths in time and use it to their advantage. Lowe agency has over 4,000 clients in its portfolio with each client having distinctive marketing requirements. In order to satisfy the challenge posed by these requirements of the clients, the agency has designed five basic association models. These models provide organizational structures to create custom made marketing solutions for the clients’ distinctive requirements. Virtual Network model is a model that provides the client with a complete range of marketing solutions through a holding corporation which the client has formalized an association with. Team of Experts of the agency coordinates and drives the work done by multiple companies on the brand of the client within the main team. A group of professional companies working on the clients brand is managed by the holding corporation. This model provides the agency with the opportunity of having its business flow smoothly as the client’s work can move flawlessly from one section to another. For clients who require efficiencies in combination and strong centralized promotion across an extensive range of discipline and fields will find that Virtual Network Model is appropriate for them. Lead Company model is the type that deals with many marketing disciplines having unique corporate branding, web designs, events that are ground-breaking and advertising campaigns focused on the consumers’ global markets. This model has succeeded by dealing with only one contract for a client and is normally directed by the lead company. The model incorporates an approach where best marketing experts working in a team in leveraging with the client’s business. The Integrated agency-of-record model provides a wide range of services to marketing companies totaling to twenty. Lowe agency presents multi-disciplinary results which entail advertising, promotions, marketing directly to customers, interactive and public relations services to their clients. This is a more efficient and solid way to use the benefits of the numerous disciplines within the same team. Each department in the agency brings a unique style and method to create a holistic solution in marketing and advertising. For clients who have a relationship with only one section or department of the agency focusing on one field of marketing; the project-based model of collaboration will be helpful as it will enable the client to incorporate other ideas from other field of marketing whenever he requires. This model ensures collaboration between departments has been effected in sharing resources and ideas to create a wide range of programs in marketing. Single discipline model provides clients who require a particular service. The overall department in support of the other departments focuses extensively on delivering the best marketing and advertising solutions for their clients. Lowe agency strives to promote diversity and inclusion within its organization. Their focus is to be the world’s major inclusive association of marketing corporation services. Several programs have been developed and implemented with the client’s to advance diversity and inclusion. This includes forming a network diversity council headed by the CEO of the agency with the help of managers from various business units. Its main work is to review and determine the usefulness of these programs. It also serves as a platform where managers can contribute their best practices and focus their energy and resources to the program. The InterAct Associates Fellowship program searches for graduates who have diversified their talents in various cultures and have experiences in many fields. These graduates are recruited and trained by the agency hence becoming, a great asset to the company. They work in all the agency’s departments thus providing, the best marketing solutions to key clients. Lowe and Partners agencies have worked well because of their diverse culture and philosophies under which they believe and operate on. Their supreme service to their clients is to ensure that the services rendered are of high value idea. This is so because, the ideas and suggestions brought forward by clients are powerful, full of creativity, and long-term hence, can be used across other media channels and around the globe. Having an understanding of client’s businesses is appropriate for the company in order to develop and implement solutions that best suites the needs of clients. The management style adapted by this agency firm is that off top-down management where the top most leaders are the executive officers. They are at the top of the ladder and expect to be updated on all he happenings of the company by their senior management personnel. These management team has been selected to represent each field and department of the company and their, work specialization has been encouraged by the marketing and advertising agency. The board of directors on the other hand, ensures that all the proposed plans and budget of the company are followed and accounted for; hence ensure that the company is run smoothly. Lowe and partners agency has been honored by the New York Urban League with a prestigious honor called a Champions of Diversity Award. The award is under competition by many other companies since it has been used in saluting those companies and individuals diversity necessity in the job market that embraces workplace inclusion in organizations. The main aim of such awards is to keep agencies and other leading organizations on track in making changes affecting culture as they affect the perception and opinions of their target audience who form the larger part of their marketing and advertising segments. Diversity in the workplace should be emphasized because it fosters dynamism in corporations and thus, employees and the entire workforce are capable of serving a more global clientele despite of the changing market environments reported. The award bases its winner by looking at corporate leadership styles and giving, policies of employment, and relations with the supplier. Lowe and partners media companies have been awarded at the network level, "Agency of the Year" honors, in the US and around the globe, including other specialties in the media industry. Mediabrands one of the partners of Lowe Agency has received the recognition of "Media Holding Company of the Year" by MediaPost for the year 2009 and 2010. Lowe Agency is among the world's leading corporation of advertising agencies and marketing services organization. Lowe and Partners Agency has been a client-centric business since its commencement. The agency’s mission, from the beginning, has been to develop client businesses and brands, with an exceptional prominence on building international trademark through coordinated programs in marketing in both local and international markets. They pioneered the model of integrated marketing communications, and thus creating the idea of a management company in marketing communications. Lowe is Unilever considers Lowe as its biggest agency since over 20 brands across the globe under their flagship is being managed by Lowe Agency. OMO is a detergent manufactured by Unilever and Lowe is the agency that manages its campaign. The OMO promotion will be undertaken by using the following ways; getting them spots on radio, outdoor advertising, and a promotional part in all types of media. The “Dirt is Good” slogan for OMO was because of the biggest worry amongst child growth experts is improved 'screen time' in the afternoon- usually the period when school-aged children would be involved in playing activities outside their homes. Most children nowadays opt to play indoors instead of outdoors. Many scientific studies throughout the years by child health experts show that an important part of child’s learning and growth is greatly enhanced by playing outdoors. Children learn to express their innovativeness and creativity by getting themselves and their clothes dirty while doing constructive plays outdoors. They are also able to exercise a lot thus helping them stay healthy and boost their immune systems. Even if your family’s clothes are dirty, washing with OMO will make certain that they will come out clean, white and bright as oat OMO they trust that Dirt Is Good. A great successful campaign to commemorate 'Dirt's biggest lessons’ was designed by Lowe Bull Jhb and OMO, who are South Africa's most well-adored and familiar household trade name. This campaign painted a proudly South African image of society and the power of cooperation. The “Dirt is Good” slogan of OMO prompted the creators of the campaign to show a short commercial featuring a group of kids collecting various items on the streets of Johannesburg. They then come together with their valuable collections which includes crates, car tires and other items to Newtown Cultural Precinct to shape the South African flag so that when a van filled with athletes form South Africa passes over the M1 motorway, the celebrities get inspired by the display on the open area by the kids below them. And then a voice-over adds, “The dirt will be gone tomorrow... the lesson of Ubuntu, lasts a lifetime.” The ‘Dirt is Good’ work by Lowe has been awarded at various local and international advertising awards for example The London International Advertising Festival, Cannes, the Effie’s, New York Advertising Festival, and the Clios along with others, within the last two years. Case Study The agency selected the integrated agency-of-record model for the campaign conducted for the US Army who has been able to recruit its all-volunteer force. The many potential benefits in the Army include civic pride, camaraderie, educational grants and professional development to the agency. Recruitment was necessary because most of the young Americans who had joined the army had dropped; the thriving of the economy brought about more job opportunities; and persistent conflict in the US front made it possible for such programs to be undertaken. Advertising strategies employed in recruiting young soldiers enabled young adults to open their minds in areas where they were more receptive in order to acquire the transformational opportunities of the Army. The soldier experience accorded to recruits helped them in understanding better the essential of serving for the US Army. For this campaign, the extent of marketing communication tools used included: media buying and communications planning team, creative and strategic advertising, digital and social media marketing and public relations. The above mentioned tools are up-to-date with current technological advancements portrayed by many companies in the globe. The model has been essential in marketing and advertising products and services offered by the agency by incorporating modern technologies used in connecting individuals of different cultures. The target audience being young Americans who are used to playing a lot of video games, thus the campaign team designed a metrics gaming programs in their insight so as to reach the audience effectively. The program was used to gauge the benchmarks for downloading contents, click-through rate and the likelihood of young age group seeking more information or showing their interest of going to the next level. The Agency team and their client resolved to exploit the influence of the Halo 3 gaming launch for Microsoft’s Xbox which propelled the Army into gamers’ set consideration. This created a brand new experience for expansion of positive perceptions of those who wanted to become soldiers. The extent to which the game was suitable for the audience was enhanced by the notion that mastering hand-eye coordination techniques for game controls is almost the same type of coordination essential to soldiers. Many game players show a great insight into this fact. The team who represented the advertising creativeness and strategy were able to develop a program that was able to distinguish the audience through the game design to mesh into the lives of the players. In order for the campaign to meet the client’s objectives, the Xbox live Halo 3 was used to tap into the excitement of the gamers about the franchise, which they are fanatical about. The appeal to participate in the campaign by the audience increased due to the Halo 3 game. With the army’s advanced technologies and equipment, gamers playing Halo 3 game, got a harmonized and flawless brand new experience to share with others. The test to the campaign was how to show technological advancements in the US Army using Halo 3 game as compared to other armed forces in which, the target audience preferred. Finally, the implementation of Halo 3 game in the campaign led to the use of various elements. For example, mobile and video contests print and cable television, social media and online elements. The use of Halo 3 game in delivering the objectives of the client showed record-breaking downloads and click-through rates, beating or exceeding all targets. Consequently, when combined with the enthusiasm of Halo 3, the distinctiveness and commitment incorporated into the Army BDE (Branded Destination Experience) crushed three fundamental Xbox records. It was used 2.9MM times by over 350,000 targeted audiences, acquiring over 2.3MM substance downloads. The program accomplished in getting its branding goals midway through its voyage. A study conducted by a third-party found out that “almost half (43%) of gamers who recalled the Army sponsorship were left with a more positive opinion of the Army” and “over two-thirds (68%) of gamers who recalled the Army sponsorship felt the Army fit ‘very well’ or ‘perfectly’ as a sponsor” signifying the achievement the program made in improving the views among young Americans who were its target audience. The program provided a exceptional and inspirational gaming experience leading to a considerable ROI for the client. And the Army itself gained from an elevated positive opinion owing to the in-game impact the media initiative produced. References: http://www.interpublic.com/companyfinder/companydetail?company=65 http://www.interpublic.com/interpublicgroupinfo http://www.adbrands.net/us/lowes_us.htm http://www.bizcommunity.com/PressOffice/PressRelease.aspx?i=398&ai=45738 http://www.adoimagazine.com/newhome/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=5990:rupen-desai-leads-lowe-southeast-asia&catid=1:breaking-news&Itemid=5 http://wn.com/Great_OMO_Commercial__Dirt_Is_Good http://www.omo.com.au/features/dirt-is-good.aspx http://www.interpublic.com/interpublicgroupinfo/profile http://www.lowesydney.com/ http://www.interpublic.com/interpublicgroupinfo/historyFAQs http://www.interpublic.com/clientsolutions/virtualnetworkmodel http://www.interpublic.com/clientsolutions/leadcompany http://www.interpublic.com/clientsolutions/projectcollaboration http://www.interpublic.com/clientsolutions/integratedAOR http://www.interpublic.com/clientsolutions/singlediscipline http://www.interpublic.com/corporatecitizenship http://www.interpublic.com/corporatecitizenship/ourvalues http://www.interpublic.com/corporatecitizenship/diversityandinclusion http://www.interpublic.com/corporatecitizenship/sustainability http://www.interpublic.com/corporatecitizenship/corporategovernance http://www.interpublic.com/companyfinder http://www.loweandpartners.com/work.html http://mediafederation.org.au/mfa-awards/past-winners/2009 Read More