The C-Suite Perception: How Did We Get Here? - 4As

Demonstrating
Agency Value

For decades, agencies built influence through creativity, relationships and marketing expertise. Today, marketing decisions are increasingly being evaluated alongside enterprise priorities such as short-term growth, operational efficiency, risk management, technology investment and delivering quarter-by-quarter shareholder value.

The audience’s focus has changed. The agency and CMO language often hasn't.

Agencies and their CMO clients frequently find themselves speaking to overall marketing outcomes while CEOs, CFOs and procurement leaders are making business decisions and listening for positive business results. Closing this perception gap may be the single most important challenge facing agencies over the next year.

The value agencies create through their strategic and creative abilities extends well beyond advertising, yet too often it is measured only through campaign outputs, or inputs, such as impressions, or awareness and consideration, hourly rates or cost comparisons.

The disconnect isn't simply about compensation. It's about relevance, credibility and strategic influence.

"The discussion has to be about the value and the impact the agency is bringing to that client's business. The CEO and CFO aren't as interested in the soft brand metrics. They want to understand how brand is impacting the bottom line. Agencies that can speak to business outcomes are the ones that earn the trust of the C-suite."
Meghan McDonnell
Pile & Company