The evolution of agency-client relationships within the communication network in Italy: the perspective of communication partners

Abstract

Purpose of the paper. Due to the digital revolution, the agency-client relationship has become more complex. Fitting into the recent academic literature on this topic, this study aims to deepen and conceptualise the agency-client relationship evolution in Italy. We adopted a twofold perspective: (i) "transversal", to acquire the holistic vision of emerging issues of the new communication scenario and their consequent effects on the relational dynamics of agency-client for all the players (i.e., advertising and PR agency, media centre, digital agency) and (ii) "vertical", to better emphasise the specificities of each category of the agency.Methodology. Qualitative exploratory research was conducted based on indepth interviews (n=53) with senior consultants belonging to different categories of players within the communication network. The data were analysed using qualitative content analysis and the cognitive mapping technique. Findings. By adopting the communication partners perspective, two interpretative frameworks were developed with respect to (1) key emerging issues that define the new communication scenario and (2) consequent effects on the evolution of the agency-client relationship. Specific themes emerged in the relational dynamics of the agency's various categories.Research limits. This study shows the limits of qualitative research on the nonrepresentativeness of results.Practical implications. The holistic interpretation by the various actors of key issues that qualify the new scenario, along with the understanding of their consequent effects on agency-client relationships, could contribute to improving the performance of each player and, in this way, of the entire communication network.Originality of the paper. The study explores the agency-relationship evolution in Italy, a context that has still not been studied in-depth, while presenting relevant aspects of marketing communication. Additionally, the article proposes a twofold vision of the client-agency relationship evolution, i.e. "transversal" and "vertical", for the first time.

Who Is a Digital Agency? Delving into the Value Proposition

“…By analysing the management studies (Advertising Age 2020; Guttmann 2020) and the websites of the leading trade associations specialising in digital marketing and communication (e.g., Iab Europe), we can find a tremendous phenomenological variety of digital agencies. This variety also seems to be at the basis of the client disorientation that some studies on agency-client relationships highlighted (Ceccotti et al 2019). Moreover, the "vagueness" of the value proposition may generate difficulties for the client to correctly judge the value of the service offered by the communication partner (Ceccotti 2018).…”

“…The digital revolution has profoundly transformed the marketing communication services market (Kassaye 1997) and has led to increased communication network complexity (Grant and McLeod 2007;Ceccotti and Vernuccio 2013). Due to digitalisation, the following has occurred: (1) the evolution of traditional agencies (i.e., creative and media agencies born before the digital revolution) (Wagler 2013;Lynch 2019;Stuhlfaut and Windels 2019); (2) the emergence of new agencies specialising in consulting on digital media (Windels and Stuhlfaut 2018;Hughes and Vafeas 2019); and (3) the market entry of large consulting firms (e.g., Accenture Interactive and Deloitte Digital) that, while supporting clients in their digital transformation process, also provide digital communication services (Lynch 2019;Ceccotti et al 2019).…”

“…First, by analysing the managerial literature (e.g., Guttmann 2020) and the websites of specialised digital category associations (e.g., Interactive Advertising Bureau -Iab -Europe and Iab Italy), one can find a tremendous phenomenological variety of digital agencies. This variety could be at the basis of advertisers' disorientation in the face of players that do not have a distinctive value proposition (Ceccotti and Vernuccio 2013) and the resulting difficulty in assessing the work of the communication partner (Ceccotti et al 2019). Second, some authors underline clients' opportunity to internalise digital communication activities, especially for low budgets (Hughes and Vafeas 2019).…”