Making it work; thoughts on good ad agency-client relationships.

• Author: Johnson, J. Douglas

Client says, "I want bottom line results, today."

Advertising agency says, "You need a strong corporate image for tomorrow."

Client claims, "The office manager makes our advertising decisions."

Advertising agency advises, "Decisions should come from top management."

Client orders, "Get it done!"

Advertising agency pleads, "Give us time to get it done right."

Client yells, "You're fired!"

Advertising agency breathes a deep sigh, "Thank you."

Quaky conditions frequently occur in client/agency relations. Huge breakups produce heavy ink in the business magazines and trade journals as million-dollar budgets jump.

So how does a congenial venture begin?

According to Stephen Blaising of Blaising St. Clair in Carmel, it begins with ground rules established up front. "If we follow certain guidelines with a prospect, the relationship usually turns out to be good. In my first presentation, I show a chart. It is an 'empowerment' bell curve that runs from one through 10. One means 'You tell us what to do.' Ten means 'We tell you what to do.'"

Prospects are then asked to rank themselves. Woe to the potential client who says five or below.

"This helps establish equal respect," Blaising says. "We find that if we are empowered, we do a much better job."

Blaising's partner, Robert St. Clair, agrees, "When the agency has more of a consulting relationship with a client, the work is better. Lines of communication are open. Objectives can be discussed more freely."

"One value an agency can bring to the party is third-party objectivity," Blaising continues. "There is the client view, the customer view and the agency view. If the client allows its agency to be critical at times and the agency feels comfortable making suggestions, results are best. Without mutual respect, the agency takes on a supplier mode. Its work becomes a commodity. Everything is based on price."

Martyn Howgill, senior vice president of marketing for Methodist Hospital and a Blaising St. Clair client, has a broader view of the "supplier" concept.

"The word 'supplier' applies to any entity that provides goods or services to us as we endeavor to pull resources together to meet the needs of our patients," Howgill says. "In that broad context, Blaising St. Clair is a supplier, though we view them as counselors and as members of our team. In terms of building strategy and developing marketing programs, we consider them part of the family. We don't exclude them from any level of discussion. A lot of...