BIG OR BOUTIQUE: WHICH AGENCY SIZE IS BEST?

As a small agency, our conversations with potential clients often go something like this.

“So what exactly do you do?”

“We’re a full service agency.”

“Right. But what’s your specialty?”

This is an increasingly common question as small boutique marketing agencies continue to upend the mega agency model. So if you’re thinking about making a change to a smaller agency, you’ll want to keep reading.

The marketing landscape is always evolving. Technology trends and consumer behavior are constantly shifting the demands on marketing agencies. Only the strongest survive, and the agencies that make it are the ones willing to shed tradition and adapt to client needs.

That’s why boutique agencies are on the rise. Big agencies lack the agility to keep pace with these changes. Many brands have adopted a more hybrid agency model, where they retain the knowledge in-house, but outsource the execution of key services — such as PR, design, media and most recently digital – to small, specialized boutique agencies.

But multiple teams means more red tape. If you thought your big agency was holding back your brand, then try working with several smaller ones. When several different agencies enter the mix, the client is stretched to manage additional people and projects — then correct the course when things go wrong. That can be an excruciating experience.

And brands require efficiency to thrive. The full-service agency, or “one stop shop,” is still the best way to drive brand performance. The single agency model delivers the client’s message in one voice across all platforms — while sparing them the burden of endless brand policing.

There is a balance between big and boutique. And Kelley & Associates believes that most brands can find their sweet spot working with a small agency that can still manage every part of the marketing process. Strategy, creative, production, PR, media and web. We do it all. Visit our portfolio to see our work.