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Archive for David Wiggs 
Problem with your Ad Agency? Maybe it's You.
Posted by David Wiggs on February 12th, 2010 at 12:00 am
A recent Ad Age article on "Serial Reviewers" warned clients who frequently oust agencies, like 1-800-Flowers, Quiznos, Chipotle and BMW, are "hurting their brands and risking a bad reputation" in the advertising industry. What the article didn't say was that CMO tenure plays a bigger part in brand erosion than any agency's missteps. If clients fix that--they fix a much bigger threat to their brand than a poor agency choice. They might even save a good agency relationship.
The best agency in the world will struggle with a client who replaces its CMO every two years.Take Chipotle: even though they've cycled four different agencies in six years, they've only recently named a CMO.Quiznos changed Chief Marketing Officers three times in six years. When the C-suite shifts, companies experience a lack of leadership and clear direction--the kiss of death for an agency relationship. And potentially more damaging to the brand than hiring the worst agency on the planet.
Agencies aren't without fault. Clients don't make changes when everything works. But if things seize up because of musical chairs in the executive suite tell your agency, because even if you don't, they know it. It's human nature to blame the... Read more
Does Your Agency Play the Bicycle (part 1)
Posted by David Wiggs on October 13th, 2009 at 12:00 am
Recently BoingBoing posted a video of a young Frank Zappa on the Steve Allen Show playing a song on the bicycle. Yes, you read that right.
Whatever you think of his music there's no denying Zappa was an innovator. His talent and natural curiosity spurred him to try new things and challenge his and others' assumptions about what music could be.
Though not a trained musician Frank Zappa was a lifelong student and self taught composer/performer. His grasp of music style, technique, and history gave him perspective which made him comfortable pushing the boundaries of mainstream music. Besides a music lesson, what's the marketing tie in, you wonder? Ask yourself if your marketing agency plays the bicycle? Do they push the envelope? Are they well versed in your company's history to move comfortably inside (and outside) the marketing space or are they too close to the problem? Immersion in marketing to the exclusion of everything else sometimes leads to a lack of perspective. Maybe you think 'my agency couldn't play the radio, much less the bicycle'. If your agency doesn't challenge assumptions and question beliefs and established... Read more
