What is the most important thing to consider when considering an interactive agency engagement? Does the creative approach trump the technical process? We all know good technical can transcend many types of projects, but can good creative? This is the dilemma I have been faced with over the last few days.
After meeting with Agency 1, a big name agency in San Francisco a few weeks ago, I left energized by the dedication and the technical process that I was presented. I came back and evangelized them as the best agency I have ever encountered. The dedication of the staff was overwhelming and they took time to really understand our business. I felt that I could work with each of them daily and achieve the proper means to the end. They offered a “turnkey” technical process to solve what I think is a very complicated problem. I had even debated whether we could do this project practically. After my trip I have little doubt in my mind that this company could pull this off.
If I had cancelled my trip to Columbus to meet with Agency 2, this would be the end of this story.
Now on my way back from Columbus I am pondering the values of a completely different face to my same problem. Agency 2 did not do as deep of a dive on my business and after the first day, I was not happy about that. I missed the enthusiasm and the connection. But then I saw the creative work. Don’t get me wrong Agency 1 does really good work in the verticals in which their clients have a presence. It is real cutting edge stuff, but they have no clients in my vertical. I am confident in the technical ability but can their creative do my vertical justice?
Agency 2 also has really good offerings in the same vertical as Agency 1, but they have another page in their portfolio, three or four vendors in my vertical. Technically I am worried they will not be as strong, but they seem to have solved this problem before with other seemingly complicated projects. The dilemma comes into play because these projects are more like “Me”. Do they recognize this and therefore have no need to do as deep a dive into my problem? Can I trust in a weaker presentation of technical muscle to get a better creative in my vertical?
This will require a full pros/cons list for me to really make a decision, but I think in this case the creative need is going to trump technical.
This project will fail if we don’t master the technical. This project will fail if we do not nail the creative.
I need help on this decision. Feedback appreciated. Anyone with a similar experience?
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Kent Beck, in his book "Extreme Programming Explained", one of his cited references is a book named "Sex Tips for Girls". The quote he used was "There is no substitute for enthusiasm." :-)
ReplyDeleteHis point was that being enthusiastic about a process/project/problem/whatever is usually the most important ingredient of success. It sounds like Agency 1's exhibited more enthusiasm than Agency 2. If you believe that both groups have roughly equal creative/technical talent, I think that enthusiasm may be your best metric for success.