Anyone work for a marketing/integrated agency?
Discussion
I was wondering if anyone on PH works as an account executive for a marketing agency?
I have spent the last 3 years working client side for a small/medium sized publishing company but now feel that a traditional whole marketing mix role isn't what I'm looking for and that my real interest lies in marcomms, in partcular DM and advertising.
So what is the job actually like? The good things. The bad things? The pay doesn't seem as good as comparative in-house roles, but I'm willing to bet you get to learn a hell of a lot more and experience a pretty diverse range of clients. From what I can tell just looking on the net some roles seem purely about client liaison and project managing and others have more involvement in the planning and creative process. Is this the case?
Any advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks
I have spent the last 3 years working client side for a small/medium sized publishing company but now feel that a traditional whole marketing mix role isn't what I'm looking for and that my real interest lies in marcomms, in partcular DM and advertising.
So what is the job actually like? The good things. The bad things? The pay doesn't seem as good as comparative in-house roles, but I'm willing to bet you get to learn a hell of a lot more and experience a pretty diverse range of clients. From what I can tell just looking on the net some roles seem purely about client liaison and project managing and others have more involvement in the planning and creative process. Is this the case?
Any advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks
The short answer is yes, although it depends.
What's it like? At its best, it's the most exciting ride you can imagine - incredible work rates, doing things that would be unpossible in almost any other business, total freedom provided you get the bloody job done. To misquote "Quality isn't Job One here, Job One is to be totally freaking amazing".
The down sides are that you will always be carrying stress, you can expect to work long hours, and occasionally pull all-nighters.
As a suit, you're key requirements are project management, and being the point man in front of the Client. As such you need to drive the project(s) forward in every direction, as it's you who will be hammered by the Client (and by your Account Director). Key attributes are a sharp mind (you can learn a lot of the detail theory on the job), willingness to take responsibility, and attention to detail (if you're running a five-man job on your own, you cannot afford to drop the ball). It also helps to be good with people, whether that means being a fun guy who never gets fazed in front of the Client (the Morecambe), or being the boring guy who always delivers (the Wise).
Quite what you'll end up doing depends on the culture of the Agency, its size, the sort of people who work there, and how good your Clients are. At various times I've:
- Worked very closely with the Marketing Director on ten-year strategy for the brand.
- Subbed as Planner, Creative Director, Finance man, buyer, engineering designer, courier, roadie and display stand operator, even IT manager.
The nature of the Agency defines which roles you'll have to drop into. Larger agencies (200+) tend to have more of the secondary resources - dedicated planners, buyers, creative managers, etc. - and are more procedural. That can be hepful, but it can also cause problems as the system can be less flexible:
- if you need 5,000 leaflets on your desk in the morning, do you trust these other people to act, or are you going to call the printer directly?
- will the Planner dictate to you, or can you have a proper debate that leads to both of you buying into the idea?
Medium-sized Agencies (50-100) tend not to have these facilities - more input, more excitement, but an awful lot of risk. This only works if you have some gifted people around who will help out with ideas, advice and physical help. You can probably guess that I've worked in this environment. It was an amazing place to work, but it took just one person to leave and the whole thing came crashing down.
Small agencies can be risky. They can become, and be seen by the Client as, a bureau rather than an Agency. Agencies input to the work - their strategy, their idea, their execution - bureaux just do what they're told.
DM-specific Agencies always run the risk of actually being just bureaux. Others do the concept and the creative, the DM agency just prints & mails. So if you talk to a DM agency get a feel for how much input they have to strategy and concept.
Ad agencies tend to come in at the top end. Larger, a bit more rigid in structure. Note that ad agencies may claim to be integrated, but often don't have anywhere near the expertise. That includes some of the biggest names.
Don't forget that in the middle are the SP agencies. Normally medium-sized, they are often the most integrated. If you want variety, they're worth looking at. There's a lot more to it than on-pack promotions.
When it comes to interviews, look for the agency that tries to sell itself to you, as much as looking whether you will fit in. Look for energy - messy desks, banter, people working late, people bursting into the interview to discuss something - try and get a tour of the team you will be joining (do the people you meet know who you are, are they friendly?). Ask them about resources and responsibilites - do they have Planners or buyers on your business (if they say "no, that's your job" it's not necessarily a bad thing)? Ask them how they would go about an appropriate project (e.g. bus side ad, a bar promo), and see how organised/proceduralised it is and how much of it is your job.
That sort of thing will give you an idea of what sort of culture the agency has, and whether it's too exciting/haphazard or not enough for you.
Finally, I note you are in Berkshire. If you can do it, seriously consider a central London agency. There are more young, single people there, which creates a different atmosphere (both work and social). There's also more access to beer.
What's it like? At its best, it's the most exciting ride you can imagine - incredible work rates, doing things that would be unpossible in almost any other business, total freedom provided you get the bloody job done. To misquote "Quality isn't Job One here, Job One is to be totally freaking amazing".
The down sides are that you will always be carrying stress, you can expect to work long hours, and occasionally pull all-nighters.
As a suit, you're key requirements are project management, and being the point man in front of the Client. As such you need to drive the project(s) forward in every direction, as it's you who will be hammered by the Client (and by your Account Director). Key attributes are a sharp mind (you can learn a lot of the detail theory on the job), willingness to take responsibility, and attention to detail (if you're running a five-man job on your own, you cannot afford to drop the ball). It also helps to be good with people, whether that means being a fun guy who never gets fazed in front of the Client (the Morecambe), or being the boring guy who always delivers (the Wise).
Quite what you'll end up doing depends on the culture of the Agency, its size, the sort of people who work there, and how good your Clients are. At various times I've:
- Worked very closely with the Marketing Director on ten-year strategy for the brand.
- Subbed as Planner, Creative Director, Finance man, buyer, engineering designer, courier, roadie and display stand operator, even IT manager.
The nature of the Agency defines which roles you'll have to drop into. Larger agencies (200+) tend to have more of the secondary resources - dedicated planners, buyers, creative managers, etc. - and are more procedural. That can be hepful, but it can also cause problems as the system can be less flexible:
- if you need 5,000 leaflets on your desk in the morning, do you trust these other people to act, or are you going to call the printer directly?
- will the Planner dictate to you, or can you have a proper debate that leads to both of you buying into the idea?
Medium-sized Agencies (50-100) tend not to have these facilities - more input, more excitement, but an awful lot of risk. This only works if you have some gifted people around who will help out with ideas, advice and physical help. You can probably guess that I've worked in this environment. It was an amazing place to work, but it took just one person to leave and the whole thing came crashing down.
Small agencies can be risky. They can become, and be seen by the Client as, a bureau rather than an Agency. Agencies input to the work - their strategy, their idea, their execution - bureaux just do what they're told.
DM-specific Agencies always run the risk of actually being just bureaux. Others do the concept and the creative, the DM agency just prints & mails. So if you talk to a DM agency get a feel for how much input they have to strategy and concept.
Ad agencies tend to come in at the top end. Larger, a bit more rigid in structure. Note that ad agencies may claim to be integrated, but often don't have anywhere near the expertise. That includes some of the biggest names.
Don't forget that in the middle are the SP agencies. Normally medium-sized, they are often the most integrated. If you want variety, they're worth looking at. There's a lot more to it than on-pack promotions.
When it comes to interviews, look for the agency that tries to sell itself to you, as much as looking whether you will fit in. Look for energy - messy desks, banter, people working late, people bursting into the interview to discuss something - try and get a tour of the team you will be joining (do the people you meet know who you are, are they friendly?). Ask them about resources and responsibilites - do they have Planners or buyers on your business (if they say "no, that's your job" it's not necessarily a bad thing)? Ask them how they would go about an appropriate project (e.g. bus side ad, a bar promo), and see how organised/proceduralised it is and how much of it is your job.
That sort of thing will give you an idea of what sort of culture the agency has, and whether it's too exciting/haphazard or not enough for you.
Finally, I note you are in Berkshire. If you can do it, seriously consider a central London agency. There are more young, single people there, which creates a different atmosphere (both work and social). There's also more access to beer.
Hi Chaps thanks for the replies especially Hi rich for that epic but really informative post. I've never considered myself as a 'suit' or frontman more as someone involved in the actual project work so it makes me question how much I would like the job. It sounds as if a lot of time is spent keeping clients smoothed and up-to-date, PRing for the agency. The thought of all-nighters doesn't faze me as I'm not a morning person and there's nothing like a tight deadline to motivate 
.
The bureau/agency analogy certainly seems similar to the graphic designer vs artworker debate and I would hate not to have some kind of creative input. I've always got the motorbike so most places are within easy reach, failing that Waterloo is 40 mins on the train so London is definitely do-able I will widen my search a bit. Hmmm will have to do some thinking.
.The bureau/agency analogy certainly seems similar to the graphic designer vs artworker debate and I would hate not to have some kind of creative input. I've always got the motorbike so most places are within easy reach, failing that Waterloo is 40 mins on the train so London is definitely do-able I will widen my search a bit. Hmmm will have to do some thinking.
Edited by alfa daley on Friday 14th December 10:34
Hi AD, that is exactly the post that we have vacant at the moment. Unfortunately we are in Nottingham so quite a long commute for you 
We are a small agency so invariably you get involved in the whole project, creativity, planning, execution and client relationship. It is very stressfull but for the right people who enjoy the pressure a real buzz.
We are a small agency so invariably you get involved in the whole project, creativity, planning, execution and client relationship. It is very stressfull but for the right people who enjoy the pressure a real buzz.
alfa daley said:
It sounds as if a lot of time is spent keeping clients smoothed and up-to-date, PRing for the agency.
That depends on how good your team are at delivering (quality, on time, to budget), so you're not having to make excuses, and how good your Client is (both the Company and the specific people).A good Client treats you as a full member of the team - they tell you what you need to know, respect your input, and recognise what you're doing.
In return you're their Jonny Wilkinson - dependable, always able to pull something out of the bag. You bring different ideas, you always bring solutions (never problems), and you get things done in a way they could never do internally. You job is to make their life easier and less stressful.
I've worked with some fantastic Clients. There's been fantastic trust and as a result we've delivered stunning results - the sort where even the CEO notices and passes word down. There are crappy ones, but I'd say the decent-to-great outnumber them.
So you shouldn't worry too much about the Client interface bit. The emphasis (especially at AE level) is on doing rather than reporting. You should have a finger in all the pies (sit with the Quark man rather than waiting for him to deliver a finished layout), so you become an integral part of the doing. Once you find your feet and a bit of confidence (and learn from your AD, every other AD, and anyone else willing to offer advice), you'll generally find the Client stuff comfortable.
HiRich said:
(sit with the Quark man rather than waiting for him to deliver a finished layout)
this reminds me so much of the apprentice episode with was it Sarina? and the infamous 'mac man' Sir Alan - "Well why didn't you sit with the bloody macman unitl he had finished it and you were happy" or something aloong those lines.
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