What can we learn from each other? And how can we better support each other?
As long as a distinction is made between “in-house” and “external” agencies, people will always ask: How can the two groups peacefully co-exist?
It’s more accurate, and more productive to think instead of how the two groups can make each other, and the work, better … learning from each other in the service of better marketing.
It’s starts with realizing how much you have in common (or SHOULD have in common):
You’re working from the same master brief.
You’re following the same brand guidelines.
You’re following the same creative development process, and getting the same strategy-based feedback.
If any of these conditions are not present, do whatever you can to make sure they are. Just like the agency team, you need all that to do your best work. You’re NOT a second-class citizen, so make sure nobody’s treating you like one.
There can be a tendency to be territorial, but remember, there are things that you know and can do that the external team never will unless the walls come down and the two groups think and work collaboratively. Brainstorm together. Critique each other’s work (constructively.) It will pay off in the end.
Nobody knows the brand and the customer like you do. Make sure your external partners know what you know. You’ve identified the dead ends as well as the most promising paths. Don’t keep that knowledge tribal—spread it far and wide.
At the same time, realize that there are things the external team offers that you probably can’t. Scale. Manpower. Specialization. The benefit of working across different accounts. Leverage that. Learn from that.
Remember, it’s not “them and us.” All of you own the marketing goals and strategy. Everyone has the goal of doing great work and advancing the brand. Do it collaboratively and everybody wins.
This POV brought to you by a member of Boom Ideanet, “Instant bandwidth for the creative department of the future.”