A hot dog stand could get along without mustard, onions, relish, bacon bits and maybe even ketchup. It could not survive without hot dogs. So I started thinking what’s the hot dog of ad agencies? What’s the absolute must have of an agency? The one thing that makes it an ad agency? Is it reliable account service? Its speed of response to clients’ deadlines? Its low cost or great value for money? Or is it its strategic oomph? Digital muscle? Reputation of principals?
For me, an ad agency’s hot dog, the one thing it can’t do without, is its creative product. Great ideas executed through traditional media, digital and events that engage people and make an emotional connection. Yes we need strategy, so we differentiate in a credible and sustainable way. Yet strategy is a means to an end. And the end is getting into the mind with something that connects and sticks. So serve hot creative and your ad agency would have clients lining up.
