In a progressively post-Covid-19 economy, independent agencies are shining in their skill sets and may have the upper hand when compared to their high-budget, heavy-hitting counterparts.
Why? Well, smaller independent agencies are more susceptible to change. It’s literally in the fibres of their DNA, As the world around us is forced to acclimate to a new business landscape, independent agencies have been evolving and growing this whole time.
Larger scale agencies may have a plethora of talented employees but this leads to a larger chain of command. The larger the chain, the longer it may take for a deliverable to make its way up the food chain and into a client’s hand.
On the other hand, independent agencies with great structure – which may not be all but definitely many these days – not only deliver client campaigns at a faster clip, but can also encourage collaboration across multiple disciplines and specialities. And many times, this diversity results in high-quality work.
Indie agencies also tend to be a bit more transparent. As a small shop, there aren’t many people to take the blame so the approach can be more hands-on. Clients value honesty and when an indie agency’s president or other C-level executive is a primary point of contact, the clients are likely to feel like they’re being addressed directly, rather than being given the runaround. This can lead to strong and reliable client relationships.
Overall, indie agencies are nimble and lean. While not as well funded as the big guys, they’re forced to adapt and thus possess an entrepreneurial spirit. This lends itself to them speaking the same language as their clients because they’ve been in the same boat. Naturally risk-takers, they’ve been forced to discover first hand what works.