It used to be that an advertising agency was simply that – an agency that you would go to if you wanted to advertise.  You would expect to pay them to create a message, devise a look and then put it in front of as many potential customers as you could afford. 

In recent years, however, the boundaries have become increasingly blurred between advertising agencies, marketeers, design groups and digital agencies.  Pressure is increasing on all of these to create ‘integrated’ solutions – campaigns that work across all media. Hence advertising agencies are having to diversify into areas once exclusive to digital or design agencies, and vice-versa. 

That’s not to say that there are no longer any specialist agencies out there. There are.  But the service offering for each type of agency is becoming more integrated. Where the agency can’t deliver something internally, they will almost certainly have a relationship with someone else who can. This is great for the individuals working within the agencies.  Being able to work in areas that we would not previously have experienced makes the job more fulfilling and more enjoyable; it also gives us more opportunity for learning and personal development.  For the client, it is perhaps not always clear which type of agency they should be working with, but it is also true that their agency (however they label themselves) is now more likely to understand how to satisfy their clients’ broader commercial and marketing objectives, using a broader palette of communications.  Surely that’s good news for everyone?

(Opinion: Paul Mabin -Creative Director)