Why it is important for strategy to be integrated

We are often asked by clients, actually more often than not potential clients, for a marketing strategy. They usually want a one channel strategy, but we are an integrated agency so that is not something we would choose to deliver. Why? Because it doesn’t work.

At my previous agency which had a large multinational client with multinational budgets at its disposal we spent years delivering an integrated strategy - PR, Advertising, Content, Website, Social, E-mail and Online marketing. All were delivered through the full-service agency at the time. An organisational shift meant the budgets had to be split between multiple agencies which broke down the integration immediately. It is sometimes hard to get agencies to work as a team, especially if the agencies deliver similar services and are looking to extend their grasp on a client.

Gone was the strategically coordinated campaign driven method of delivery, replaced with an adhoc catching up on what someone else has already done approach. As the previous agency who handled the whole lot, we were often expected to mop up the missing links!

When an agency has a multi-disciplined approach, they are looking for opportunities across all of the channels, so campaigns are more coordinated, better timed and better implemented.

So when asked to deliver a marketing strategy, we insist on an all channel integrated approach, because that is what we know and believe works best.

Author: Sindy Foster