There’s a lot of talk about agencies being broken right now… trying to fight new market conditions with constructs from times past. So I’ve decided to collect some perspectives on it … starting outside agency world, with a man who writes about all the change that’s going on: Tim Burrowes, from Mumbrella.

If you could create an agency right now – what would it be?

Tim Burrowes: This comes with the caveat that I’m a journalist, so the honest answer is that I wouldn’t be egotistical enough to think that I could or should.

But if I were to be a seed investor in a new agency, it would be one that genuinely starts with the strategy and the idea. No execution, just an Ideas Agency. A strategic agency that manages and outsources all execution to the best-for-the job-in-hand. A very small core team, plus an army of freelancers. And that needs to be across all disciplines, media and touchpoints.

It would need a management team of four –

1. A well connected client / new business person with most of a career’s experience with the gravitas to sit at the boardroom table and persuade clients this service is worth paying for. I think I’ll offer the job to Harold Mitchell, or Donald Trump if Harold doesn’t fancy it.

2. A great creative director. Time for Dave Droga to come home.

3. A genius media/ channel planner. I’d probably give Kevin Brown at BBH in London a call about that one.

4. And yes, someone with an understanding of the creative potential of digital – and able to make stuff happen. Time to call in Steve Jobs from his sick leave.

What do you think?
Can a small hit team really succeed? What remuneration model would they work with?

Image courtesy h.koppdelaney.

If you enjoyed the read, please leave a comment. Feel free to follow me on Twitter