Agencies Adapt as Work Goes From ‘Tentpoles to Tadpoles’
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In 2008, Grey New York made a decision that ran counter to the economic reality of the time: It doubled the size of the production facility it was building inside the agency’s then-new office in Manhattan’s Flatiron district. Most companies were cutting back, but Grey was splurging.
It paid off. Today, those edit bays and sound bays — along with the three in-house directors at the agency — are worked around the clock, seven days a week. Demand is high enough that the shop has expanded its production operation in a location five blocks away. “My only regret is not building an even larger facility in-house back in 2008,” said Tor Myhren, worldwide chief creative officer at Grey. Why? Because clients are demanding more content at cheaper price — and they want it done yesterday.
Andrew Robertson, president-CEO of BBDO Worldwide, calls it a shift from “tentpoles” to “tadpoles.” There are fewer big agency-of-record relationships and blowout TV spectacles. In their place are more small-budget work and projects. That’s making agencies grapple with questions like the right number of people to keep on staff; the type of talent and capabilities they need; which projects to pursue; and how to charge for ephemeral, low-cost creative like Vine, Instagram and Snapchat ads.
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