Evaluating the advertiser-advertising agency relationship

The relationship between advertiser and advertising agency has been identified as an input into the advertising process and as a determinant of advertiser satisfaction. This study examines the advertiser-advertising agency relationship, with the purpose of providing a mechanism which both advertisers and agencies can use to evaluate their relationship and which will allow them to improve the quality of that relationship and its contribution to the advertising process. The contributions of advertising theorists as well as sociologists are considered when examining the relationship. The former raise issues which affect the relationship as it operates while the latter provide a means of establishing relationship elements, structure, dynamics and objectives. A refined definition of the advertiser-agency relationship as an instrumental, performance-oriented relationship was developed and placed within the context of the advertising process. A framework of the advertising process was developed by using this definition of the relationship and its environment. Since the purpose of the study requires developing a usable evaluation method, the research was undertaken among representatives in ongoing rather than terminated relationships. And, also unlike previous studies, the information was collected from both advertiser and agency representatives of a relationship. The structured qualitative interviews were founded on the model of the advertising process and the working relationship. Elements of the working relationship were identified as openness, trust, similarity and 'getting the work done'. These along with briefing procedures, agency work and evaluation were examined and crosstabulated to establish associations between the relationship elements and the advertising process. The framework of the advertising process is modified and re-presented as an evaluation system which advertiser and agency can use to monitor their current relationship