Working With Agencies – Traditional vs. Digital

Now that we are well on our way into the 21st century, the growing gap between traditional media and online media is undeniable. This has left many traditional advertising agencies struggling to keep up by adding digital capabilities to their stable of services or even buying out online marketing firms. Many digital agencies are also making an effort to offer more traditional approaches to their clients. And small digital agencies are becoming better at providing the innovation, strategy and creativity of a massive firm without the limits of traditional media. But many people still believe conventional agencies have the advantage.

Perceived Advantages of Conventional Agencies

• Strategy
• Ideas
• Innovation

Conventional agencies are rushing to jump on the digital bandwagon, and they have the advantage of larger strategic capabilities and experience with branding.

There is also a perceived weakness in digital agencies that they don’t always bring the brand strategy to the digital strategy table, and rather reuse the same ideas across industries and clientele.

Another perceived weakness of digital agencies is that they are quick to rush into new ideas and cool trends without thinking things through strategically.

So this leaves many traditional agencies thinking they have the experience to integrate the new online tactics into their organization and offer everything the small digital firms can only better, because the digital agencies have less experience in other communication mediums.

Advantages of Digital Agencies

• Expertise
• Strategy
• Flexibility
• Forward Thinking

The fact of the matter is that being successful at digital marketing requires a true experience in the online space and a proven digital expertise. It takes time to build advanced technological and digital marketing capabilities, and most traditional agencies just don’t look at the medium with a trained eye. You can’t approach online media the same way that you would print, television or radio. There is no one-size fits all approach to advertising, which any online marketing expert understands.

Saying that digital agencies don’t use strategy and can’t formulate new ideas for branding online is also ridiculous. Any marketing campaign has to have a strategy to even get off the ground, whatever medium it may be in.

And while traditional agencies may have more marketing history under their belt, they do not have the flexibility that is required to utilize the digital medium and walk their clients through the process in a way they understand.

Digital media is always changing, so being able to change with the times is a prerequisite for Internet-based agencies to survive.

The Future vs. the Past

So there is no denying that digital is the future, but some may say that large firms which have integrated digital media into their service offerings can provide all the same expertise because they are bringing people on who understand this medium. But traditional agencies are looking at digital simply as a component, rather than their main focus. If the future is all digital, don’t you want that to be a priority?

Bridging the Gap

There are no clear answers about what type of agency is best, but many people agree that the best type of agency is one that is being built up now with a focus on digital capabilities while still building upon the general capabilities that traditional agencies are known for. This new digital agency has the cutting edge technology at their fingertips, with planners, strategists and creative developers offering the strength of a traditional agency.

Many people have said the ultimate agency is one that offers the best of both worlds, but there does not seem to be one agency that can truly do print, radio, television and digital marketing, and do them all well. There may not be one agency that can truly do it all, but it seems that digital agencies have the upper hand right now as they truly understand the medium of the future and are using the proven strategies of traditional firms to improve upon their technical expertise. This has left many traditional agencies, particularly in print, wondering how they will keep up. Many people are speculating, however, that traditional agencies and digital agencies must work together - now and into the future.