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New guide on how to improve agency briefing in an integrated world
PRESS RELEASE
Clients and agencies have come together to radically rewrite their successful 2004 guide to helping improve client briefing of communications campaigns across all channels.
Briefing an Agency is comprehensive in its reach, explaining not just the principles of good briefing practice but also offering many practical tips on how to get improved briefing results.
The authors of the guide (MAA, PRCA and IPA led by advertiser body ISBA) hope that client use of the guide and the advice it contains will lead to improved results, faster, and at lower cost for all sides in the process.
Francis Ingham, PRCA chief executive said “A well constructed brief inevitably leads to better outcomes for both the client and the agency. As multi channel campaigns including multiple agencies become increasingly common getting the brief right is the difference between success and failure. This guide will save everyone money, time and a lot of stress.”
ISBA's Director of Consultancy and Best Practice Debbie Morrison said: “Clients and agencies acknowledge that current briefing practices leave much to be desired. We have based this guide on research we conducted among 140 of the UK's largest advertisers and agencies, drawing on the experience of the leading marketing practitioners they employ - so Briefing an Agency really is a best practice guide in the truest sense.
“One of the stand-out learning's from our research was around the emergence of integrated and digital communications platforms as some of the leading expenditure categories. Although advertisers have adapted briefing processes to reflect this, one of the most asked questions is still ‘how do I brief for integrated campaigns?'
“At its heart, this guide is about helping clients work out what they want and communicating that in the way agencies need, in a way that gets the right result for all.
“We were delighted to work on development of this guide with John Howkins of The Nubb Consultancy - John is an expert on briefing agencies and provides in-house workshops for many ISBA members on improving their briefing techniques - this work provided us with added insight into the knowledge required to deliver world class briefs.”
Scott Knox, MD of the MAA said: “Campaign success, although heavily reliant on the agency's answer to the brief, is equally dependent on how well a client communicates its objectives and desired results. As more and more briefs require an integrated solution, our guide on how to improve agency briefings should not only lead to better practice across the board, but will lead to more creative and more effective campaign ideas.”
Hamish Pringle, Director General of the IPA, said: "It's hard to overstate the importance of this joint industry project. I'm convinced that tens of millions of pounds could be saved, and more earned, if only many more client briefs to agencies were significantly better - and this guide shows how they can be.”
- ENDS -
Notes to editors:
Briefing an Agency forms part of a suite of industry-authored best practice guides, available free of charge to members of the respective trade bodies. Other titles in the series include: Finding an Agency, Judging Creative Work, Agency Remuneration, Communications Strategy, and Evaluation.
About ISBA - ISBA is the voice of British advertisers - companies and not-for-profit organisations of all sizes. Our members include more than 400 leading UK advertisers, whose combined spend on marketing communications exceeds £10 billion each year. Our role is two-fold: to protect the freedom to advertise responsibly, and to enhance the effectiveness of our members in doing that.
About the MAA - The Marketing Agencies Association (formally Marketing Communications Consultants Association MCCA) was established to protect, defend and support marketing communications agencies. Headed up by MD Scott Knox, the MAA acts as an extension of its members' boards, and assists them in becoming better businesses through strong growth and best practice.
About the IPA - The Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA) is the trade body and professional institute for UK advertising, media and marketing communications agencies. It was established in 1917 as a servicing body and to negotiate on behalf of its members with media bodies, government departments and unions. Its 246 corporate members handle over 80% of the UK's advertising agency business which has an estimated value (excluding press and TV production) of £17.7 billion.
About the PRCA -
- Who we are: Founded in 1969, the PRCA is the professional body that represents UK PR consultancies, in-house communications teams and PR freelancers. The PRCA promotes all aspects of public relations and internal communications work, helping teams and individuals maximise the value they deliver to clients and organisations.
- What we do: The Association exists to raise standards in PR and communications, providing members with industry data, facilitating the sharing of communications best practice and creating networking opportunities.
- How we do it and make a difference: All PRCA members are bound by a professional charter and codes of conduct, and benefit from exceptional training. The Association also works for the greater benefit of the industry, sharing best practice and lobbying on the industry's behalf e.g. fighting the NLA's digital licence.
- Who we represent: The PRCA represents many of the major consultancies in the UK, and currently has more than 230 agency members from around the world including the majority of the top 100 UK consultancies. We also represent around 60 in-house communications teams from multinationals, UK charities and leading UK public sector organisations.
