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It’s been a very busy year, says S’bu Manqele, group executive director at Switch. A slight upswing prior to the elections was followed by a lull, and now things seem to have stabilised. Clients are engaging — albeit cautiously — as they wait for policy and political certainty. Switch itself has had growth from existing clients, both within and outside SA’s borders. Group executive creative director Gaby de Abreu says, however, that clients are more likely to engage on a project basis these days as there is a lot more negotiation around cost, value and timing. “There is a growing expectation that work can be turned around overnight at a lower cost than ever before,” he says, adding that digital is driving this, with its faster turnaround times and cost-effective nature.
Ultimately, says De Abreu, while it’s important not to underestimate the value of design work, agencies have had to learn to do work within tighter budgets, faster and better than ever before— if not, clients are likely to look elsewhere. As big agencies seem to recognise the role played by specalists, there is a growing trend of having specialist skills in-house, allowing them to offer turnkey solutions to clients. Smaller agencies, like Switch, are having to adapt and be smarter about the way they do business. While they cannot compete for the same size of clients, they have to offer agility and higher levels of creativity. “Larger agencies tend not to have the flexibility and the turnaround capabilities of smaller ones,” says De Abreu.
“With this in mind, we’ve had to adapt to offering a 360º solution to clients. At the same time, we target midsize clients and don’t chase after the big brands, rather creating a niche for ourselves where we can excel. ”It ’s a strategy that works for Switch. “Clients want their place in the sun, they want that feeling of being at the top, which they don ’t often experience at the larger agencies,” says Manqele. “Switch, on the other hand, promises clients directors’ involvement, sitting at the table along with the young blood, adding 30-40 years of experience to the process.”
More and more, agencies and clients are tending to hold on to each other, as opposed to looking for new partnerships. “Clients are staying with agencies with whom they have developed long-term relationships, knowing that the agency will go the extra mile for them — while agencies know there’s not a lot of movement in the market and look for organic growth from their existing client base with a focus and dedication to growing their brands and successes,” says De Abreu.
Succeeding in this tough environment is also about ensuring that the agency provides a relevant offering that is on point in today’s market. As branding specialists, this has meant creating strong ties with a digital partner to broaden the agency’s offering in this field. It also ensures that the agency’s work moves seamlessly between platforms with no distinction between the start of the campaign journey and its endpoint, and that the digital divide is bridged. Adding to this skills enhancement has been the addition of two animators at Switch’s Cape Town office.
The agency is wholly focused on a culture of learning — both internally and with its clients. “When we partner with a client, we need to learn their business and their challenges. Staying ahead means having key conversations about the bigger picture — the local, global,business and political climates we operate in,” Manqele says.
Switch
2019 Financial Mail AdFocus profile
It’s been a very busy year, says S’bu Manqele, group executive director at Switch. A slight upswing prior to the elections was followed by a lull, and now things seem to have stabilised. Clients are engaging — albeit cautiously — as they wait for policy and political certainty. Switch itself has had growth from existing clients, both within and outside SA’s borders. Group executive creative director Gaby de Abreu says, however, that clients are more likely to engage on a project basis these days as there is a lot more negotiation around cost, value and timing. “There is a growing expectation that work can be turned around overnight at a lower cost than ever before,” he says, adding that digital is driving this, with its faster turnaround times and cost-effective nature.
Ultimately, says De Abreu, while it’s important not to underestimate the value of design work, agencies have had to learn to do work within tighter budgets, faster and better than ever before— if not, clients are likely to look elsewhere. As big agencies seem to recognise the role played by specalists, there is a growing trend of having specialist skills in-house, allowing them to offer turnkey solutions to clients. Smaller agencies, like Switch, are having to adapt and be smarter about the way they do business. While they cannot compete for the same size of clients, they have to offer agility and higher levels of creativity. “Larger agencies tend not to have the flexibility and the turnaround capabilities of smaller ones,” says De Abreu.
“With this in mind, we’ve had to adapt to offering a 360º solution to clients. At the same time, we target midsize clients and don’t chase after the big brands, rather creating a niche for ourselves where we can excel. ”It ’s a strategy that works for Switch. “Clients want their place in the sun, they want that feeling of being at the top, which they don ’t often experience at the larger agencies,” says Manqele. “Switch, on the other hand, promises clients directors’ involvement, sitting at the table along with the young blood, adding 30-40 years of experience to the process.”
More and more, agencies and clients are tending to hold on to each other, as opposed to looking for new partnerships. “Clients are staying with agencies with whom they have developed long-term relationships, knowing that the agency will go the extra mile for them — while agencies know there’s not a lot of movement in the market and look for organic growth from their existing client base with a focus and dedication to growing their brands and successes,” says De Abreu.
Succeeding in this tough environment is also about ensuring that the agency provides a relevant offering that is on point in today’s market. As branding specialists, this has meant creating strong ties with a digital partner to broaden the agency’s offering in this field. It also ensures that the agency’s work moves seamlessly between platforms with no distinction between the start of the campaign journey and its endpoint, and that the digital divide is bridged. Adding to this skills enhancement has been the addition of two animators at Switch’s Cape Town office.
The agency is wholly focused on a culture of learning — both internally and with its clients. “When we partner with a client, we need to learn their business and their challenges. Staying ahead means having key conversations about the bigger picture — the local, global,business and political climates we operate in,” Manqele says.