New Firm to Resolve Digital Client/Agency Relationship Problems
New York – Digital agency pioneer Jason Heller, who co-founded, then later sold Mass Transit Interactive, has launched AGILITI, the first consultancy focused solely on digital marketing operations management. The firm works with marketers to audit, review and align their internal and external digital marketing operations to optimize relationships with their digital agencies and maximize digital marketing investments.
“The fragmented, complex and ever-evolving nature of the digital ecosystem requires sound strategy, proficient agency resources, internal leadership and staff, technologies, and processes. The ramifications and disruption to a client’s business by strained agency relationships and internal organizational challenges are significant,” says Mr. Heller. “In some cases the client agency relationship is obviously stressed, and blame can certainly be distributed to both sides. In other cases, clients can benefit from an honest review of their own internal operations. Most marketers are missing opportunities for growth and unaware of some of the detractors from reaching their digital potential.”
“Clearly, the client/agency relationship needs to evolve to keep up with the rapid pace of evolution and complexities taking place throughout the digital ecosystem,” says Geoff Ramsey, CEO and co-founder of eMarketer.
Much like any challenged relationship, sometimes it takes an objective third party to mediate, identify the key issues and facilitate and nurture the relationship to its potential. Call it client/agency therapy, if you will. One of the key processes developed by AGILITI works to synch internal and external digital resources to everyone’s benefit.
“The ways that brands and agencies work together continue to change as digital platforms, behaviors and methods of consumer engagement evolve. It’s a relief to see a navigational voice that clients can go to for help in comprehending the business and organizational impact of these areas,” says Ian Schafer, CEO of Deep Focus. “An educated client is our best customer.”
AGILITI has already commenced working with several large brands.
“It’s no secret that there is a level of frustration on both the client and agency side about the state of their relationships. We are witnessing the rapid growth and change in both established and emerging digital channels, digital marketing budgets continue to see larger allocations, and marketers require a level of accountability for these investments,” says Lynn Bolger, EVP, Advertising Solutions, comScore. “Jason was a pioneer in the digital agency world and I have no doubt that AGILITI can act as a catalytic agent to help bring clients and agencies closer on digital. He brings a special objective ‘sanity check’ perspective that is so valuable.”
Mr. Heller co-founded Mass Transit Interactive one of the first digital media agencies in 1998, where he pioneered some of the best practices that are employed in the digital media industry today. Mass Transit developed a reputation of being an elite digital media shop that delivered results for many leading brands. In 2005, the agency was sold to Horizon Media, the largest independent media agency in the US, and Mr. Heller became the Managing Director of Horizon Interactive. In 2007, Mr. Heller resigned from Horizon to focus on growing a niche adventure travel media business that he had launched in 2005. At the same time, he became Executive Vice President of the Laredo Group, where he developed and led training programs for agencies and marketers on how to navigate the complex and evolving world of digital marketing. In January 2011, Mr. Heller sold his adventure travel business to focus on the launch of AGILITI.
Mr. Heller has authored articles for and has been quoted in leading marketing and business publications, and has been a speaker for many events.
“As marketers continue to increase investments in digital channels their digital marketing operations and agency partnerships are not being reviewed, aligned and optimized accordingly,” concludes Mr. Heller. “It’s a rampant problem where the symptoms are usually put in the simple buckets of ‘the agency model is broken’ or ‘why isn’t digital working harder for us.’ However, realistically it is far more complicated than this, and clients need to be proactive about being part of the solution. AGILITI works with marketers to audit, review, align, and optimize their internal and external digital marketing operations. The firm has developed a systematic approach to help clients derive both short-term and long-term benefits from this process.”
AGILITI (www.agilitico.com) is a New York-based digital marketing operations and strategy consultancy that helps foster productive client/agency relationships and empowers large and complex brands and organizations to take ownership of their digital strategy. The firm was founded by digital agency pioneer Jason Heller.
