How the Coronavirus Will Expose the Difference Between Bad & Good Agencies

It’s safe to say the coronavirus has totally captured the public discourse.

It’s been a while since a single event has had so much global impact — economically, socially, culturally and beyond.

It’s a serious matter that should be taken seriously. (Stay safe everyone!)

But for the next minute I’d like to interrogate how it’ll affect us creative agencies.

Or, more specifically, how it’ll affect bad agencies & good agencies differently — exposing the gap like never before in at least two ways.

#1. The Ability to Have Different Conversations

The coronavirus is unique in the sense that it’s affect both the demand & supply side of clients’ business.

Clients’ problems have suddenly become much more complex, volatile and intertwined.

Meaning, more often than not, communications & creativity, at least in the classical sense, will not be answer.

Yet, bad agencies will continue having the same conversations.

They’ll keep proposing solutions based in ‘big ideas’, communications, media, PR stunts & ad-like objects.

Good agencies, however, will start to have different conversations with clients.

Not necessarily, ‘bigger’ conversations — but new conversations.

Conversations that may seem counter-intuitive or self-defeating, but may be the most effective action given the extraordinary situations (e.g. stop making ads, reduce media spend, delay the launch, team up with a competitor, etc).

Clients will remember which agencies did what.

Which thought differently.

Which put the brand first.

Which was an honest partner.

The difference will be so obvious.

I predict that the creative industry will experience an unprecedented wave of new business pitches and shuffling once the coronavirus is over.

#2. The ‘Disruption’ of Remote Working

Remote working will become a temporary norm as companies & governments increasingly recommend ‘social distancing’, ban travel and cancel events.

Yet, the work still needs to be done.

Bad agencies will become noticeably less productive.

Some will simply grind to a halt — deadlines missed & promises broken as more and more people work from home (or get sick).

Clients will notice.

Good agencies, however, will use this sudden boom in remote working as a test for the future of work.

The industry was going in that direction anyway — in the name of work-life balance — this crisis will push faster them into that reality.

A natural experiment, as economists call it.

Good agencies will take it as an opportunity to see just how much can be done when no one is in the office.

Embracing & adopting new processes as opposed to resisting it.

They will experiment with new ways of working that don’t compromise the quality of output.

I predict that when the crisis is over, bad agencies will happily go back to ‘business as usual.’

Good agencies will happily never go back.