"Just as individuals review their year towards the start of a new one, CMOs and marketing managers begin to look at what worked and what didn't over the past year or so. The IAS has come to see the October to Feb/March period as the season to review campaigns and relationships with agencies; see what competitors are doing or have done; and perhaps even call for pitches," says IAS MD Johanna McDowell.
"If there is any spend left in the marketers' budgets, they also view this as a time where they can get to know other agencies on their rosters by charging them with smaller projects running up to the holidays.
"Review season is governed by the calendar. We have financial year-end for many companies in February; Government fiscal year starting on 1 April; and multi-national companies' fiscal year-end in December. It's an intense time for marketers and agencies, as they balance reviews with holiday and back to school campaigns, while keeping an eye on opportunities being put out to tender."
Poised to assist marketers in making the right choices throughout the season, the IAS provides relationship management reviews, as well as guidance before and during the review process. "We know that the CMO must demonstrate innovation and results come year-end and our evaluations are designed to enable this. Timing is key, it is about knowing when to review, and how to conduct the process."
Having recently returned from New York, where she visited - and learned from - a variety of agencies, McDowell says she was also pleased to see the attention PepsiCo's President Brad Jakeman received after his recent speech at the Association of National Advertising's 'Masters of Marketing' conference.
"Jakeman made waves with much of his speech but was on point when he said that innovation comes from diverse, creative, passionate people and agencies that are prepared to take calculated risks. It is during this intense review season that the risk-takers will stand out.
"Many corporates are afraid of the 'disruption' being encouraged in business around the globe, which is why the IAS offers the relationship management reviews as a map to guide CMOs and marketing managers by matching their aims with creative innovators," concludes McDowell.
