Jacquelyn Moulds, Client Engagement Director, The RomansIt’s a tough time to be an agency. You could be forgiven for feeling as though your perceived value is at an all-time low. While agencies strive for creative differentiation, tangible insight and invaluable consultancy, procurement frameworks increasingly focus on cost-cutting measures and tactical deliverables.
This has contributed to a lack of creativity, little differentiation and consistent budget cuts, raising crucial questions about the future of the industry in the region. At the heart of this issue is a troubling trend: the creative thinking that once formed the lifeblood of agency work is increasingly going unpaid and undervalued. In turn, we risk losing sight of the very essence that drives effective communication – innovative thinking and storytelling.
The cost of cutting agency creativity
Taking a macro view of it, when agencies and their creative ideology are reduced to a checklist of tactical, service-based deliverables, we don’t just limit the potential of innovative PR and campaigns, we diminish the overall impact our industry can have on the world.
Agencies thrive on ideas. Ideas challenge norms, provoke thought, create movements and moments. They require an understanding of context, culture, behaviour and value. These are the elements that drive real impact but don’t always show up on the quote card – things like brand reputation, consumer engagement and market influence. I’m preaching to the choir when I say the true value of these services goes far beyond
the numbers.
Addressing these pain points wouldn’t just streamline pitches or align procurement processes. It could elevate the level of creativity agencies are so eager to showcase, helping shift the industry in the region toward a more creatively led future.
Shift from agency vendor to collaborator
There’s a real opportunity for procurement teams to not only rethink their role in the equation, but also to help shift from a transactional mindset to one that prioritises long-term partnerships.
This is where agencies are seen not just as vendors, but as collaborators. This change requires courage and vision from both sides, along with an understanding that investing in creative thought, particularly in PR, is an investment in the future of brands and their ability to connect meaningfully with audiences.
Not all this falls on the shoulders of procurement teams. Often, the disconnect lies between what a brand truly needs and the commercial frameworks that have been set. But it does beg the question: are procurement teams being given the chance to fully understand the bigger picture? Agencies need partners who recognise that great ideas require investment – not just in money, but in time, trust and a bit of daring. Otherwise, we’re left with campaigns that do little for brands and even less for the agency world. And that would be a dismal fate indeed.
So, consider this a call to arms. It’s time for agencies, communications and procurement teams to work more closely together to foster an environment where creative thought is not just respected but celebrated. Together, we can reshape our industry. agency cost
By Jacquelyn Moulds, Client Engagement Director, The Romans
