When people think about print production, most marketers and procurement people think about printing. Actually putting ink on paper is less than 30% of the print production cost and yet this is where most of the cost management focus is placed. In actual fact the content creation (and warehousing and distribution) makes up the majority of the print production cost. Therefore here are a few tips on getting transparency and accountability in your print production.

1. When briefing print advertising, specify not only the media type, but also extra usage requirements (ie. posters, outdoor, etc) the campaign duration, appearance frequency and variations required as these impact on the concept and budget.

2. Specify as many aspects of the production as possible; budget, quantity required, all usage and format requirements and distribution to ensure the agency can make the best recommendation.

3. Define all mandatories in the briefing, including logos, corporate colours and style guidelines to reduce any time required to incorporate these later.

4. Ask the agency to prepare a production schedule following the briefing to ensure any cost penalties are minimised due to time constraints.

5. Ask the agency to prepare a production estimate before approving a concept, to ensure the idea can be achieved within the allocated budget.

6. If photography is required, have the agency check your existing digital image assets for appropriate material before committing to the cost of new photography.

7. Hold a pre-production meeting for all photographic shoots, large or small, to ensure all aspects are approved before the first shot is taken.

8. Proof read and check all facts at every step of the finished art process as once you give approval the responsibility lies with you.

9. Ensure you review a colour accurate proof (either digital or chemical) before approving the project to go to print.

10. Contact TrinityP3 as we provide assessment, auditing, implementation and training services to ensure ultimate transparency and accountability.

Most of the stories you hear about printing disasters relate to the actual printing process – wrong colours, bound the wrong way etc and everything has to be thrown away and started again. Almost all of these are caused in the pre-production process. What disasters have you experienced or heard about? Let me know here with a comment.

There is nothing more wasteful, costly and not to mention embarrassing than having your commercial or advertisement removed from air and getting a court order to provide an apology and correction. It has happened to a number of advertisers in Australia. So what can you do to make sure it does not happen to you? Here are a few ideas.

1. Implement a documented protocol for approval of each advertisement, requiring sign-off from people with relevant knowledge and expertise in the product or service, industry matters and the law.

2. Choose a medium that is appropriate for conveying the promotional message, taking into account the potential audience, and nature and complexity of the offer, product or service.

3. Consider how people receiving your message (both inside and outside your audience) will interpret it, taking into account special characteristics or vulnerabilities. Consider all potential messages – not just those you wish to convey. Ensure the overall impression is complete and accurate including any illustrations (eg accessories, models shown). Do not use corporate or celebrity images or slogans without authorisation.

4. The nature of all material terms and conditions should be referred to up front, in the same medium as the main promotional message (eg. tv voiceovers).

5. Any disclaimers and qualifications should not contradict but explain the main promotional message. Fine print must be prominent enough to be brought to the consumer’s attention – consider size, location and duration.

6. Disclose the full cash price of the product or service and any obligatory charges that go with it (eg. delivery fees), including GST. Promoted discounts must be taken from the ‘normal’ price available for a reasonable period immediately prior to the ‘sale’.

7. Ensure all claims are not only literally true, but relevant and appropriate in the context of the product and offer. Ensure claims can be substantiated on an objective basis, and there are reasonable grounds to verify any statements regarding future matters.

8. If making comparisons with other products, ensure they are fair, accurate and current.

9. Ensure you are ready, willing and able to honour all express or implied promises made. If there is limited stock available, this should be clearly disclosed.

10. Contact TrinityP3 if you are unsure whether all participants involved in the creation and production of your advertisements understand these issues. Together with your legal advisors, we can ensure you have a practical, Trade Practice Act compliance process tailored to your specific needs.

Under court order, Target Australia was ordered to produce and air an apology commercial for being misleading and deceptive under the Trade Practices Act

Do you have a rigorous process to ensure your advertising is not misleading and deceptive? What examples have you seen of misleading and deceptive advertising practices? Leave a comment and let me know.

Media continues to be the single biggest investment for most marketers and advertisers, yet the option continues to expand with more choices and more specialists entering the market place. So how do you go about not only choosing the right roster model, but also the right media partner for you business? Here are a few things to consider.

1. What media services do you require? Do you want a strategy / planning specialist? A search specialist? Or a big buying house? Or is it a general one-stop-shop? Each option comes with strengths and weaknesses depending on your needs and circumstances, but the first step is to identify these.

2. What is the buying power of the agency? The majority of national advertisers buy through media agency buying groups, and the size of their billings and your budget can significantly influence the level of discount an advertiser will enjoy.

3. What media specialities do we need? A number of ‘specialities’ have emerged within the media function including Channel Planner, Digital Strategist, Search Strategist, Social Strategist, Consumer Insights Specialist, Sponsorship Specialist, Econometric Modelling Specialist, Research and Technology Specialist, etc. Make sure the agency has these skills, but likewise don’t pay for what you don’t really need.

4. What media tools and software do they provide? Optimising software was the first, rapidly followed by Modelling software (awareness, sales, response), true Econometric Modelling software, Portfolio Management software, etc. But ‘Smart’ software is only smart if they can demonstrate the benefit to your business.

5. What additional skills do they provide? Specialist resources require specialist personnel and some of the new areas need people with skill sets from outside the industry. It is not unusual to see a dedicated Market Researcher in the Consumer Insights role, or an Economic Statistician in the Econometric Modelling area.

6. What are the skills of the people who will be working on your business? Some media agencies have developed internal ‘cells’ that specialise in a particular category or industry, across a range of individuals. Ideally you should look for experience in the basics as well as the technology and digital  specialists from a cohesive team that provides both youthful creativity and mature experience.

7. How engaged will the senior management be in your business? Media agencies are successful business units with skilled and seasoned management. Most are run by experienced media specialists/generalists and the skills these people bring to the table are critical to their success.

8. What form of remuneration do they prefer? Cost plus retainer? Project fees? Media commission? Performance Based Remuneration (PBR) aspect that rewards or penalises the agency on performance? The type of remuneration should work for both you and the agency in regards to value, changes in budgets, workloads and cash flow.

9. How effective is the ‘chemistry’ or ‘fit’? Most relationships that last long-term are based on mutual respect, understanding and consideration; more than the camaraderie of the new business pitch; its a genuine interest in or passion for your business; an open and honest approach that will engender trust and respect.

10. Do you have the time and expertise to consider all the options? If not, contact TrtinityP3 as we have extensive and detailed database of media planning and buying agencies and experience in helping advertisers make the right choice.

What are the main considerations you use in selecting a media agency or specialist service provider? It would be good to hear that it is not just price. Let me know here with your comments.

Lets be honest here, there are many consultants claiming to have expertise in the strategic marketing management space, but how do you separate the professionals from the recently redundant or the washed up? After all, anyone can hang up a shingle saying they are experts in media, social media, production, data analytics, agency remuneration, or ***insert proclaimed competency here****. So how can you sort the has-beens from the never was, from the right ones? Here are a few tips…

1. What is your company’s experience and expertise? Some consultants have experience in one area, but try to pass themselves off as experts in all areas.

2. What is your consultant’s background and qualifications? You could get an accountant telling you how much you should pay for a TV commercial.

3. How recent and practical is that experience? Those that can do, those that can’t teach. And some even become consultants. The best theoretical advice is not a replacement for the practical.

4. How are you remunerated and why? If you just want savings go for the consultant that charges a percentage of savings as their incentive. If you want value look for a fixed fee. If you want to pay a fortune, go for head hours.

5. How much do your services cost? How can you judge value for money if the consultant is not willing to provide you with an upfront cost? Request a detailed proposal including timelines and specific outcomes. Too often consultants have low-balled to get the gig and then charged a fortune to deliver it.

6. Do you receive any commissions, fees or kickbacks from any other party? Some consultants get paid by both clients and agencies, yet don’t declare this conflict of interest.

7. On what principles does your business operate? The right advice starts with the shared values and principles so ask to see the consultant’s principles and values, or even better, testimonials from their clients and agencies.

8. Do you have professional indemnity insurance? It is a great way to sort the pretenders from the professionals, as there are many fly-by-night operators out there. The guy running his consultancy from his kitchen table will not bother with these basics.

9. What clients have they worked for? While perfectly reasonable, the amount of information they offer is a good indication of how much they will be telling others about your business.

10. Contact us at TrinityP3 and ask us the same questions. You’ll find we are one of the few truly independent industry consultants to help advertisers achieve maximum value in media, digital, creative, direct marketing, print and television production, public relations and across all marketing services.

You can even check out our client and agency testimonials here.

In a world of increased fragmentation and diversification marketers are faced with a decision between specialist and convenience. Traditional creative agencies have diversified their offering and are providing a range of services, but it is often a matter of convenience over quality. When selecting a creative agency, what should you be considering? Here are a few we have found useful.

1. How big or important do you want your account to be? Dominating the agency could mean you fund the infrastructure that others benefit from, while being a smaller client may mean you are overlooked at times.

2. Where is the agency located and how will they service your business? Are you happy to source the best provider in the market, no matter where they are located, or do you want the best local supplier.

3. What strategic sources do you need and want? If you need a business or marketing strategist better to select a specialist than to expect to find this in the communications provider.

4. Who will be working on your business and how committed are they? Avoid the New Business ‘Pitch’ Team who you will never see again. Identify the resources that will be working on your business short and longer term.

5. How important is experience in your category? The conundrum is wanting an agency with recent experience in your category without account conflicts with competitors. While ideal to have experience in your category, it could come with set thinking.

6. Does the agency MD or CEO align with your business? The senior management team are usually the most experienced practitioners in the agency and therefore critical to your success.

7. What type of remuneration do they prefer? Cost plus retainer? Project fees? Media commission? The type of remuneration should work for both you and the agency in regards to value, changes in budgets, workloads and cash flow.

8. How much of a partnership do you want from your agency? A partnership is about risk and reward. The most effective way to build a partnership is Performance Based Remuneration (PBR) where the agency risks profit and even overhead for the opportunity to share in the profits.

9. How effective is the ‘chemistry’ or ‘fit’? Most relationships that last long-term are based on mutual respect, understanding and consideration; more than the camaraderie of the new business pitch; its a genuine interest in or passion for your business; an open and honest approach that will engender trust and respect.

10. Do you have the time and expertise to consider all the options? If not, contact TrinityP3 as we have extensive and detailed database of agencies and experience in helping advertisers make the right choice.

When selecting a creative agency what are the criteria you use? What services are important to you? And what attributes? And how easy is it to distinguish one agency from another? Let me know with your comments here.