It’s like returning to the Ant Farms of our childhood as we turn to the fifth important animal trait that your marketing agency needs to possess to future-proof your business, as well as  theirs.

One reason ants are inspirational is their characteristic of working in a highly coordinated fashion.

They modify their habitat and adapt to environmental changes; they utilize available resources and deploy division of labor to do so.

Our Infographic, 8 Animal Traits You Need to Future Proof your Agency, recognizes ants as Curators and Contractors.

In their work, ants “curate”, collecting materials they need from their surroundings to build their nests.

They also “contract” by dividing the labor of colony building into tasks with groups of ants assigned to specific functions.

These are abilities the successful Agencies of the Future will embody.  As an industry, advertising is truly undergoing massive environmental changes.

Your agency needs to bring in the best ideas, the latest technologies, great insights, fresh new thinking the world of digital and social media.  There are few agencies that can really do it all.  With the market moving at the speed of something much faster than an ant, agencies need to be smart about finding what’s best for you and your business.

Instead of nest building as ants do, we build brands, and the “materials” to accomplish this are changing and expanding rapidly.

Pile of antsThese changes call for expertise that may not always be in-house.

Fortunately, bringing in strategic partners who provide the specialized know-how your client needs is acceptable to Marketers.

In our recent survey, 70% of Marketers say they are agreeable to their agencies using outside resources to support their brand strategy, particularly if doing so:

  • Provides true expertise the agency itself does not have in-house.
  • Generates stronger ROI, through a combination of cost management and higher revenues.

Remember though:

  • The key to “exploiting resources” as an agency relies on strong strategic partnerships that are genuine, substantive and proven.
  • Make sure your partnerships add value.

You want your marketing agency to be a good curator as well as a contractor of resources that will benefit your business and keep you ahead of the marketing and technology and service curve.

IS YOUR AGENCY AN ANT?

If they aren’t, you might want to give us a call.  We are good ant farmers.