Insights & Perspective
Issue: 1st Quarter, 2022
About Us:
bob wolf partners/TPG (est. 1996) is one of the leading U.S. agency search consultancies advising in all matters that optimize and add value to the client-agency relationship…agency search/selection, performance audits, organization alignment, compensation, integration, in-house agency formation and more. We are unique in our field as Clients value the insights/perspective we bring having been C-level leaders of world-class advertising agencies, marketing-driven companies/brands and consultancies.
We help marketers navigate the intersection of marketing, advertising, media, PR, social, digital, experiential, +++.. We live in the space between building a brand over time while generating sales immediately. Throughout the U.S., we have extensive experience with over 100 clients in 14 different industries and work with hundreds of best-in-class agencies.
WHAT MARKETERS WANT VS. WHAT’S REALLY BEST
A Useful Tip As You Evaluate Your Super Bowl Spot,
A New Campaign, or Even Your Agency Relationship
OK, it’s post Super Bowl, and we all saw most of those commercials with a cost of $7,000,000 per :30 spot! Some funny spots. Some ads with celebrities, some creative, some smart, some strategic, some effective. And some, not so good. Lots of money for production, talent and paid media. Brings back memories of the good ol’ Madison Avenue days…the days dominated by TV, some radio and newspapers. Of course, we know the world of marketing has evolved since then!
Just how effective were those Super Bowl ads? Were the agencies really that talented, or was this some kind of “one-off?” Do each of those ads have the legs to emotionally engage, motivate, and persuade customer prospects? Are they the basis of a well-positioned, fully integrated brand campaign on multiple platforms and/or channels? Influencing prospects at every touch-point? What were the analytics? Did they have an impact on awareness and intent to purchase? How much viral/word of mouth did their “story” generate? Are there AI or VR implications? Do any of these spots resonate with brand purpose? At the end of the day, what’s the projected ROI?
A useful technique to help determine what’s best for your brand would involve a 360-brand audit…usually involving an experienced outside consultant. This might be part of an annual process to monitor and motivate internal and external resources, reporting/communications systems, evaluating brand/creative/media briefs, current/prior campaigns, policies, procedures, KPI refinement, and measuring marcom effectiveness.
What does all of this have to do with agency search/review? As most folks in the marcom world will tell you, searching for a new agency is not always a simple task. There are lots of moving pieces. Usually, it requires a team effort. Sometimes, it’s good to evaluate your current agency against other possible candidates. Also, it’s not uncommon that, when a new CEO or CMO takes charge, an agency search ensues. Further, when multiple agencies are involved with the brand’s messaging, integration is not always seamless and the review process more complex. To complicate matters,Client brand/marcom teams sometimes work with a competitive silo mentality…often competing for a larger piece of the budget or a preferred creative approach. Should there be agency consolidation? Should one or more elements be handled in-house (e.g., direct mail, sponsorships, digital, social/PR)? Who/what entity drives integration? Bottom line, without a history of proven agency selection or campaign development, without an experienced/cohesive internal brand marketing team, or without a seasoned professional agency partner(s), without clear brand brief or purpose, without a culture of great internal/external communications, without a research/analytic orientation to measure results throughout your brand-building process… too many campaigns reflect what someone wants, not necessarily what is best to optimize results.
With a thorough “audit” in your hip pocket, you (the decision-maker or leadership team) are in a better position to set the gears in motion for a successful agency review and successful campaigns (big or small)…with the external and internal partner(s), systems, and ideas you need…not necessarily the ones you might initially have wanted.
Invitation
If any of the points made above resonate, we welcome your questions or comments. The interaction would be kept strictly confidential, of course.
Given remaining pandemic considerations, we might meet via Zoom, phone, or even in person under the right circumstances. Either way, we look forward to addressing your questions, concerns or opportunities.
Dan Pearlman, CEO/Managing Partner
Mad-Dash Days
Dan Pearlman, one of the advertising world’s icons, is still influencing clients and their audiences as CEO of Bob Wolf Partners/TPG, which helps Fortune 1000 firms navigate the tricky terrain in this incredibly transformative era of branding, social media, digital influencers, big data and decreasing attention spans.
By Chris Casacchia, California Business Journal.
November, 2019
Dan Pearlman has seen it all in the advertising industry, from the heady days of global expansion on Madison Avenue to the social media craze of the digital age. After earning his MBA at UCLA, he got his start in the 1970s at Young and Rubicam, one of the most iconic names in marketing communications. The New York-based firm was in fast growth mode at the time, expanding services, acquiring competitors and opening offices around the globe.
In the mid-1970s, Y&R changed the industry forever when it began marketing its new assets as “the Whole Egg,” essentially building an integrated strategy using advertising, branding, research, public relations, sponsorship/event marketing, and sales promotion. Pearlman was on the task force that developed the concept, combining the aforementioned platforms along with skill sets such as engaging creative ideas, design, story-telling, strategic brand positioning, and careful measurement of results into one comprehensive approach. It proved its value by creating and managing effective, award-winning campaigns for P&G, Eastern Airlines (now Delta), Bristol-Meyers, Gallo and General Foods (now Mondelez).
“At all my agencies and other ventures, I always approached brand challenges and opportunities in an integrated fashion,” says Pearlman, the cofounder and chief executive of Bob Wolf Partners/TPG, a management consulting firm that specializes in optimizing client-agency relationship, including conducting agency reviews, performance audits, and structuring/negotiating win-win client-agency compensation. The strategy has served his Marina Del Rey-based company well, attracting a client list that includes Boeing, Marriott, ADT, Hilton, Lending Tree, Credit One, Kia and Subway.
