It’s a common business conundrum: should you manage all your marketing in-house, or work with a creative marketing agency? Here’s some food for thought – and a hint: it’s not an either/or.
What is a creative agency?
It’s often the first question: exactly what is a creative agency? There’s not one definitive answer because there are different types – and some are highly specialised, like digital agencies, design agencies and advertising agencies.
Others, like Mariart, are holistic: a full-service brand and creative digital marketing agency that embraces the gamut of:
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Benefits of a Creative Agency: Fresh Insight
So, why take the leap and work with a creative digital marketing agency?
Clarity, Not Confusion
There are endless ways to promote your brand, with technology and trends constantly shifting. It’s hard to pinpoint what to do, where to do it and how to do it – all while facing the challenge of standing out in today’s tsunami of messaging.
In fact, it can be a constant headache (and headspace) that many businesses just don’t have time for. Business Executive, Beth Comstock, captured it perfectly.
“Marketing’s job is never done. It’s about perpetual motion.
We must continue to innovate every day.”
Beth Comstock, Former CMO & Vice Chair of GE
A great creative marketing agency has its finger on the pulse for you. They’re fuelled by social trends, competitive forces and new opportunities. Most importantly, they weigh up what works, consider the proof, and pursue the perfect approach for individual clients.
Fresh Eyes, New Inspiration
Ever feel like you can’t see the wood from the trees? Total immersion can make it hard for in-house marketing teams to see the big picture. And working on the same brand every day can lead to creative ‘fatigue’.
A creative marketing agency works across businesses and industries. They have seen what works and what doesn’t. They can spot your unique point of difference and strengths. And they can bring fresh ideas and new approaches – to take your brand, marketing and content to the next level.
If things are feeling ‘stale’, an external team can make all the difference. Like Mariart, they’ll work together – brainstorming and bouncing ideas off each other to come up with a raft of original ideas, great strategies, and clever creative that really engages.
You’ll be brimming with inspiration before you know it.
“Quality content means content that is packed with clear utility and is brimming with inspiration, and it has relentless empathy for the audience.”
Ann Handley, digital marketing, Wall Street Journal best-selling author
The Creative Digital Marketing Agency: A Smorgasbord of Specialists
The ‘traditional marketing department’ is a memory. In a dizzying digital world, today’s marketing demands expertise across strategy, brand, design and production, writing, digital marketing, website development, data analytics, SEO – and so much more.
Not many businesses can do it all, and do it well, themselves. And hiring top talent isn’t getting easier. In fact, according to HubSpot it is expected to be the biggest challenge of 18% of marketers in 2023. Hiring great talent takes time, effort, and money – and there are continuing concerns around worker shortages and competition for applicants.
With a team like Mariart, clients tap into one dynamo, full-service team for any (or all) needs: from big picture to nitty-gritty.
Business and brand strategists, top creatives, graphic design gurus, copywriting pros, web developers, SEO, digital marketing and social media specialists, video producers, digital and print illustrators: we have it covered with a tight and long standing team of experts in their fields.
Benefits of a Creative Agency: Efficiency and Consistency
Efficiency and Certainty
The right agency will work as an extension of your team, often bringing real time and cost efficiencies.
- They truly understand you – making briefing fast and easy.
- You have access to a full spectrum of specialist expertise – when you need it.
- The scale of work matches your needs – without having to appoint in-house resources to cover it all (with the related fixed payment, terms and conditions).
- You have a team on hand to deliver on clear and agreed timelines – which is often a big ask for internal teams with a barrage of other priorities.
Consistency and Ease
When your agency is truly in sync, it makes your marketing sing. All these skills under one roof bring a coordinated approach across channels and over time. And that’s crucial, as reinforced by a Forbes article citing that 90% of customers expect their interactions to be consistent across all channels.
Great project management and client communication will keep everything running smoothly, without you having to juggle (and rebrief) multiple freelancers and suppliers.
Benefits of a Creative Agency: Partnership at Play
For a business like Playground Centre, working with a creative marketing agency, with a vast range of skills and expertise, has been instrumental to success. A total rebrand more than 10 years ago helped them transform a ‘product’ focus into a powerful ‘heart and soul’ brand. Today, Mariart plans and executes marketing strategy across all channels, setting annual objectives and translating them into actionable weekly plans to ensure this fun business gets serious results.
According to CEO Simon Filleul: “Mariart helped us to focus on our company at a strategic level without losing sight of our practical challenges and day-to-day reality. At every step, they have really listened, understood and helped us deliver. They were instrumental in planning a strong overall marketing plan as well as helping us roll it out effectively.”
Finally: It’s Not an Either/Or
Here’s the thing: you don’t have to choose. At Mariart, we work with internal marketing, brand and communications teams every day – partnering, adding value and filling gaps. It’s a blended (or hybrid) approach that can work wonders. It brings the best of in-house and agency knowledge, expertise and skills together with some incredible results.