How Do You Measure the Value of an Intermediary?

Independent Agency Selection

Johannesburg, South Africa

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Johanna McDowell

Founder and CEO — IAS Agency Selection

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Johanna McDowell, CEO of IAS and Partner in SCOPEN Africa and UK, asserts that the cornerstone of any intermediary’s function is to deliver value – noticeable, measureable value.

Expert intermediaries provide valuable benefits for both marketers and agencies, and the result of their input is visible across a number of important areas in a marketer-agency relationships. It starts with the in depth knowledge a good intermediary has about both parties, and an audit that supports this knowledge.

When reviewing a marketer /agency relationship or even a campaign, the marketer should be asking “What did your work do for the brand?” and the agency should be able to respond with the measured results achieved.

The onus is of course on the marketer to ensure that clear measurable brand and sales objectives, as well as results, are communicated to the agency. In assisting both parties, the intermediary - sometimes referred to as pitch consultants - must keep this clear objective in mind throughout the process.

The value of these engagements is delivered by the intermediary in guiding the marketer and agency in the setting of the correct objectives and standards and measuring them against real-world efficiency improvements. The potentially costly part of non-delivery here is where intermediaries bring real value: How is the relationship delivering for the brand? What has growth been like? Has business or brand reputation been enhanced?

As we continue to recover and reignite relationships and the energy they should create together post-pandemic, IAS intermediaries are being called on to work with clients to ensure the marketer has a clear idea of what they want to achieve, and the agency has equal clarity on how to achieve that.

A recent request from a client saw the IAS auditing the relationship between and agency and a marketer to determine why it appeared that the answer to “What did your work do for the brand?” was eluding the agency. A review of the work required and the work produced showed that, somewhere between lockdown and coming to terms with new ways of communicating, the brief wasn’t what it used to be or should be.

Our intermediary engaged the marketer and the agency and did a quick but important refresher on how to deliver a brief that tells an agency upfront and out loud precisely what the marketer is looking to achieve. In every single case, a robust, well-delivered brief can set the tone for a successful campaign or entire relationship.

Our industry has always known the value of salvaging a once-productive relationship rather than starting a new one, and it is in the intermediary’s ability to review without fear or favour, produce facts and measurables, and open the channels of communication between all parties that the real value of an intermediary is clear.