If big metropolitan ad agencies are having a tough time right now, spare a thought for those operating in smaller markets where client budgets are often tighter and output demands have become more onerous. These agencies have had to pivot more quickly to changing demands and rewrite the book on agility.Boomtown is a midsize agency in Gqeberha (formerly Port Elizabeth) and works on brands such as Ricoffy and Sovereign Foods. CEO Glen Meier tells the FM that a greater focus on its digital offering and the changing business objectives of clients have been key to the agency’s survival."Confidence in the relationship allows for solution-driven strategies. As budgets have tightened, we have needed to ensure measured return on investment — with a heavier priority on digital investment — as well as brand equity through more purposeful communication."Warren Upton runs Strategy Advertising in the city and works on small boutique clients, including a coffee roastery and a craft brewery. He als...

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