Tag Archive for: best practices

The Hard Cost of Negotiating with Your Advertising, PR or Marketing Agency

Key Takeaways

  • Value of Creativity: Creative work is unique and cannot be easily compared or quantified. Negotiating purely on price can reduce the energy and quality behind the work.
  • Building Relationships: Focus on finding the right creative partner, not just the lowest cost. Alignment leads to better outcomes.
  • Fair Compensation Matters: When creatives feel valued, they deliver stronger, more inspired work.

When was the last time you negotiated for a website, advertising, public relations, marketing or other branding work?

Chances are, you took that first quote from an agency and thought, “I bet I can get this down at least 20%.”

Maybe you can. But here’s why that attitude can cost you real dollars.

Imagine you’re buying a computer. You evaluate the specs and then begin negotiating. You may or may not get a better price, but one thing is certain: you’ll be getting the exact same product as everyone else who buys it.

Creative work doesn’t work that way.

Unlike standardized products, creative work is individual and unique every time. No two outputs are ever alike. There may be similarities, but they can’t truly be compared. And even if they could, you can’t assume the same result would apply to your business. There are too many variables.

Every piece of creative work that matters requires energy, judgment, and emotional investment—none of which show up on a spreadsheet.

Why This Matters

Creative products require emotional sensitivity. That sensitivity is what allows creatives to assess what may or may not work for your situation.

The more refined the sensitivity, the more refined the solution. Creativity requires focus, attention, and most importantly, desire. It also requires a willingness to fail, to try again, and to put something personal into the work.

Now introduce negotiation framed around “this isn’t worth that much.”

Imagine someone saying: “I love your work. It’s amazing. I just don’t want to pay that much for it.”

You might still do the work. But something shifts. The spark changes. You stop thinking about it after hours. You stop obsessing over getting it right. Not out of spite—but because a switch flips.

No one can measure that switch. And no one can fully pay to turn it back on once it’s off.

The Real Cost of Negotiating Creative Work

Back to the computer analogy.

Imagine if you had to pay for your computer based on the revenue it helped generate. Prices would go up—not down.

Now apply that to creative work. If negotiating reduces effectiveness by even 1%, what is that worth to you? That small drop in performance can cost far more than the discount you negotiated.

So What Should You Do Instead?

Instead of negotiating on price, focus on fit.

[blockquote author=”— Bill Bernbach” link=”http://www.sketchthemes.com”]”An idea can turn to dust or magic, depending on the talent that rubs against it.” [/blockquote]

Ask to see recent work. Meet the people doing the work. But don’t treat it as a negotiation exercise—treat it as a way to evaluate whether they have the right spark for your project.

Ask how they approach their work. Ask what they expect from themselves. Give them parameters and see how they think. Can they explain their decisions? Does it resonate with you? Can they take feedback? Do they care about the outcome?

These answers will tell you far more than a proposal.

Creativity doesn’t belong on a spreadsheet. At some point, you have to trust your judgment and understand what you actually need—whether that’s strategy, execution, collaboration, or leadership.

The Reality of Creative Work

Yes, there is ineffective creative work out there. And yes, some of it is expensive. But most experienced professionals care deeply about what they produce—and the best ones adjust when something doesn’t work.

If you choose based only on cost, you increase the risk of misalignment.

If you don’t find a creative who is emotionally invested in your work, you’re far less likely to get something exceptional.

What Actually Works

Take care of your creatives and they will take care of you. Inspire them and you’ll often get more than you paid for—more than the contract even requires.

Because while creativity on demand is hard, turning it off isn’t always easy either.

[blockquote author=”— George Lois” link=”http://www.sketchthemes.com”]Nothing comes from nothing. You must continuously feed the inner beast that sparks and inspires.[/blockquote]

You should be more concerned about people who are too cheap than too expensive. It’s hard to produce strong work when teams are stretched thin or disengaged.

The people who consistently deliver quality work value their time and energy—and expect to be compensated fairly.

Final Thought

Am I saying you should never negotiate? No.

But at some point, you have to decide who is worth what they’re charging. Because when that first invoice comes in, what matters most is whether the spark is there.

Wouldn’t you rather pay for fire than smoke?

 

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Why You Love to Hate The Kardashians – Social Media Strategy Gone Awry

Key Takeaways

  • Transparency vs. Pathology: Initially, the Kardashians were relatable due to their open, candid portrayal of life. However, as their personas became more exaggerated and distant, followers felt disconnected, leading to a perception of them as out of touch and excessive rather than aspirational.
  • Saturation and Overexposure: Frequent and over-the-top displays, such as repeated nude photos, stripped away the allure of mystery that once surrounded them. This saturation turned them from unique figures into common ones, diminishing their appeal and making them seem less special.
  • Lack of Substance: The Kardashians’ focus on materialism and self-promotion raised questions about their values and contributions to society. With little indication of deeper passions or charitable causes, they risked being viewed as shallow, making it difficult for the public to justify their celebrity status.

[rev_slider Personalities-Blog]

 

Are you done yet?
If you’re like most of the media and most of America you’ve had it with the Kardashians.
We’ve moved past not caring and into outrage.

But how did this happen?
We can look to the Kardashian social media strategy for part of the story.
How did the Kardashians go from being little known D-listers with Instagram and Twitter accounts to being the most hated family in America?
I mean, it started off innocent enough, a group of spoiled beautiful girls with a notorious last name, living the day-to-day drama of having too much of everything.
It’s the kind of thing America watches, sometimes to feel morally superior, sometimes with an aspirational sigh.
And the girls were social media mavens.
They WORKED Instagram.
They LIVED on Twitter.
Snippets of their daily lives seeped into our consciousness one tweet and pic at a time.

But the Kardashians crossed several lines, specifically Kim Kardashian, who has turned pop-culture fascination into outrage and disgust.
Here’s where they went wrong:

The Line Between Transparency and Pathology

In the beginning, Instagram and Twitter followers loved how the girls lived their lives shamelessly out loud.
Their family feuds and heartaches on display for all to see.
We loved that curvy Kim and Khloe owned their curves proudly.
We even endured the occasional well-placed stunt by them and their family members.
The personalities turned into personas.
We like personas it allows us to put people in neat little categorical boxes.
It gives us context.
Personas aren’t terrible. Actually, from a branding perspective, they can be quite fantastic.
So even though their celebrity sky rocketed, their personas kept them “real.”
We DID like to see them at some exotic beach, we did like seeing their pretty selfies…until the selfies became over-orchestrated photo shoots.
But the Kardashians forgot something: they were interesting when we could relate to them, or at least identify on an aspiration level.

And this is where they REALLY went wrong:

the Kardashians never missed a chance to put distance between themselves and their followers, in an effort to show how special they really are.
We went from relating to them as they journeyed through life to feeling more and more like they were nothing like us.
Most of America would never marry a celebrity for the media bump, and it isn’t even something most of America aspires to.
Most of America doesn’t make the extreme personal journey of their family members about them.
And now there’s today’s pregnant photo of Kim.

We’re now at the point where the transparency has turned into pathological and pathetic.
With this photo, Kim has managed to make the beautiful, sad.

From Mysterious to Saturated

A well placed nude photo or leaked video (eh, em, Kim) can actually be GOOD for a celeb.
Really good.
But when you start to see nude (or nearly nude) photos of a celeb several times a year, it’s no longer exciting, titillating or even interesting.
Three times this year already we’ve seen Kim nude.
Here: Feb 2015
Here: May 2015
and…
Here: July 2015

I mean, is there no end in sight?
Now, not only are you pathetic, you’re worse: you’re common.
You’re the OPPOSITE of special.
You’re now just another naked person – just like the one we see in the mirror everyday.
Nothing special about pathetic and naked. Nothing aspirational about that. At. All.
Even nude models and porn stars know better than to show up naked on Instagram everyday.
Why?
Because mystery is a good thing.
Leave a little bit on the table.
Let ’em wonder just.a.little.bit.

It’s not just the whole naked thing.
We started to get the sense that the Kardashians never said no to anything that might make them money.
From fashion brands to tell-all interviews.
From appearances to marriages.
If you had dollars, the Kardashians would be there to hoover it up.

Standing For…..Shallow and Surface?

And through all this, America begins to wonder, “What DO the Kardashians stand for?”
I mean, besides makeup, hair extensions and designer brands and boyfriends?
We’re left wondering if they are really as shallow as all that.
Do they lend their voices to causes that might make them more human?
Do they use their celebrity to advance a passion that might make the world a better place?
What little they apparently DO do for charity seems opportunistic and self aggrandizing.
Even Donald Trump, who Kim had to one-up with her naked photo today, has a cause.
You might not agree with Donald Trump, but at least he stands for something besides money and wrap-arounds.
We can’t defend the Kardashians anymore because we can’t even justify their celebrity anymore.

And so begins the downward slide of some of the earliest and most prolific social media celebrities.
We should thank the Kardashians for their lessons in personal branding, except they’d probably charge us for it.

 

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Social Media Branding: Stand By Your Brand

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Key Takeaways

  • Brand Clarity and Courage: Businesses must be clear about their identity and values, allowing them to take calculated risks that resonate with their target audience. Bland messaging leads to uninspired results.
  • Engagement and Risk: Brands should embrace creativity and engage in meaningful conversations, even if it means facing backlash. Understanding the line between controversy and insensitivity is crucial for authenticity.
  • Consistency and Confidence: Brands need to stand by their values, even when faced with criticism. A strong brand identity fosters loyalty among customers who “get it,” while hesitance can dilute brand effectiveness.

When To Stand Up for Your Brand in Social Media

This week, with the Dave and Busters “Juan” tweet yet another social media gaffe made its what into the collective conversation.
It sparked furious cries of racism.
It sparked snickers.
It sparked the “holier than thou” media to earn mega points for traffic.

Imagine for a moment, the alternative tweet: “I hate tacos” said no one ever. #tacotuesday.

Imagine what THAT would have caused: crickets.

Which of those  two messages was more brand consistent, more interesting, more compelling and took more courage?

Branding is like getting a tattoo: it takes guts and commitment.

Tweet: Branding is like getting a tattoo: it takes guts and commitment.

This is why brands and businesses must be crystal clear on who they are, what they stand for, and who their target customer is. I’m not suggesting that every brand and business rush to the edge of every cultural controversy and insensitivity in order to create some reaction to their message. But in order to make it interesting, they HAVE to know where the line is on risk-taking. Brands and businesses have to accept that people who AREN’T their customers aren’t going to “get” it and they have to stand with their customers who DO.  If you insist on a completely bland copy, messaging, and creative, you will get some bland results.

Tweet: If you insist on a completely bland copy, messaging and creativity, you will get some bland results.

Tweet: Brands and businesses have to stand with their customers who DO “get it”.

I’m actually disappointed Dave and Busters didn’t fire back to the haters with another pun. Dave and Busters is a GAMING VENUE for grown-ups. It isn’t a financial company; it isn’t a children’s nonprofit; it isn’t a government agency; it isn’t a church. It’s supposed to be FUN. Taco Tuesdays are supposed to be FUN. I don’t know about you – but I could use a little fun in my tweet stream.

So here’s where we’re at with a collective lack of spine in the social, marketing, and advertising world: be creative, be dynamic, create conversation and excitement, but DO NOT, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES TAKE RISKS. Does the marketing and advertising world really want to be known as the analysis paralysis industry, whose signature color is beige?

Tweet: Does the marketing and advertising world really want to be known as the analysis paralysis industry whose signature color is beige?

Yes, let’s think through things. Yes, let’s consider the context. But let’s stop freaking out the minute someone with 2,000 followers takes issue with an edgy statement. Let’s understand our brands, their purpose, their customers, and values, and let’s stand by those values even when everyone else doesn’t get it. It’s OK. If your brand is truly defined, not everyone will.

Yes, the pain of nasty-gram tweets and email is piercing. They don’t last forever. In fact, in most cases, those same people are off on an entirely different tangent tomorrow. Being a wishy-washy brand isn’t good for anyone, except dish soap – and those consequences are far longer reaching.

Tweet: Being a wishy washy brand isn’t good for anyone, except dish soap – and those consequences are far longer reaching.
Stand tall. Take smart risks. Stand by your customers. Have some brand confidence. Stand by your brand.

 

This post originally appeared on Akamai Marketing

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