9th April 2024

Meeting the needs of modern clients

David Meikle on adapting to the changing needs of clients by rethinking commerciality, productisation and negotiation.

Episode 4

David Meikle

Founder, The HTBAG Company

How clear are you on what clients REALLY want from agencies? And what if you could ask someone with a unique perspective on how agencies do great work? 

Our guest on this episode is David Meikle. The classic ‘poacher turned gamekeeper’, he was previously an agency leader, working for Grey and latterly running Ogilvy in Russia, and now he’s a search consultant. David’s also a compassionate, innovative and rigorous thinker about the advertising and marketing industry, which you’ll know if you’ve read his books. 

This far-reaching conversation covers commerciality and profit, the risks of productising your offer, and how to strike a fairer deal with procurement. We also explore why agencies are poor negotiators and a surprising truth about how less exciting clients often get better work. 

David also offers a new way to think about agency differentiation – one that clients are taking increasingly seriously.

Chapters: 

5.04 What agencies don’t understand about profit conversion

11.07 How agencies enable Procurement to dominate them

15.10 The risks of productising agency services

24.20 Why agency marketing is like car insurance

27.15 The role of the agency’s employer brand

31.30 Distinctiveness vs uniqueness

40.10 How conservative clients can get better work

42.01 Agency failures in negotiation

43.40 The concept of ‘buyer’s profit’

46.25 Opportunities for your employer brand

Previous episodes

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Episode 20

Ruud Wanck

CEO, Candid

From phoney to fearless: building an agency ‘for the culture’

Episode 19

Omid Farhang

Founder & CEO, Majority

Honest leadership in times of change

Episode 18

Josh Krichefski

CEO, GroupM EMEA

The risks of malicious obedience

Episode 17

Greg Hahn

Co-founder, Mischief

Why creativity relies on diversity

Episode 16

Jo Wallace

Global ECD, Jellyfish

The business case for differentiation

Episode 15

Anthony Freedman

CEO, Common Interest

When change becomes transformation

Episode 14

Neil Perkin

Founder, Only Dead Fish

How to maintain entrepreneurialism at scale

Episode 13

Tim Ringel

CEO, Meet The People

How AI is changing the agency business model

Episode 12

Chris Johnson

CEO, TomorrowToday

The secrets of successful client relationships

Episode 11

Alex Lubar

Global CEO, DDB

The recipe for agency swagger

Episode 10

Natalie Graeme

Founder, Uncommon Creative Studio

Building careers in a changing world

Episode 9

Sue Unerman

Chief Transformation Officer, EssenceMediacomX

The profound impact of being yourself

Episode 8

Harjot Singh

Global Chief Strategy Officer, McCann & McCann Worldgroup

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Episode 7

Katie Lee

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Episode 6

Ruth Mortimer

Global President, Advertising Week

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Episode 5

Rob Campbell

Chief Strategy Officer, Colenso BBDO

A new game plan for agencies

Episode 3

Michael Farmer

Chairman and CEO, Michael Farmer and Co.

How agency CEOs can compete with talent's need for freedom

Episode 2

Faris Yakob

Co-Founder, Genius Steals

Where does innovation really come from?

Episode 1

Rory Sutherland

Vice Chairman, Ogilvy UK

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