We’ve all perhaps had our fill of post-apocalyptic ‘what ifs’. But let’s imagine for a second that all the awards ceremonies disappeared? For a lot of us, it might make little difference. Other than spoiling our morning after outrage on how that film could have possibly won the Oscar!

But the big ceremonies in adland play a far more crucial role. For better or worse, they have always provided handy navigation for brands, among others. In a complicated marketplace, they help marketers to prioritise and pull agency names out of a landscape that we know to them can often seem daunting. 

But with more and more awards ceremonies and festivals being cancelled, does this mean the industry will plummet into a maelstrom of confusion and nausea? Well, no, not quite.

At an event last year, an industry commentator bemoaned industry awards as a form of navel-gazing for agencies. Whilst we wouldn’t go that far, it’s true that before each year the industry has a strong indication of who’ll be walking away with the gongs. And perhaps it’s right to say that the brand-side of the industry relies too much on these lists to do their digging for them. What if brand marketers instead relied on their own smarts to find the agencies that are not lauded the most, but instead best suit them?    

Festivals are unfortunately disappearing from the 2020 calendar on a daily basis. And even once this crisis is behind us, there’ll be a healing period when budgets are surely lean. There might be more webinars than we know what to currently do with, but whilst these are crucial to us remaining a connected and curious bunch, it’s obvious that the networking and accessibility just isn’t the same. 

The fear is that for agencies there’s suddenly a lack of being seen and known. That this period will be the dark ages of advertising when many feeling the sharp end of a more cautious business will cease to be in a few months’ time. BUT it needn’t be. It’s understandable that such fears exist. It’s a scary, unknowable time. But agencies have always been incredibly creative in promoting themselves, in cultivating agency brands, and demanding a brand marketer’s attention. 

For agency members, here are a few tips on how they can continue to have their work recognised and ensure they remain at the forefront of marketers’ minds. 

Show them what you’ve got

Make sure your new work and case studies are up to date and tagged. Don’t hold back on showcasing your creativity, it’s more important than ever to ensure you keep engaging with brands. Each time you upload new work, it will be sent to brands in our weekly personalised content alerts and featured on our homepage, creating opportunities to reach more visibility. And the more visible you are, the more likely your position in our Top 30s - our competitive leaderboard that scores agency profiles based on views and is widely celebrated on social. Brand marketers’ screen time is currently the highest it’s been, and we’ve personally seen the dwell time on our platform take a sharp climb. It’s imperative you reach them during this time.

Make yourself a part of the conversation

Now is not the time to go quiet. Brands will be looking at how agencies are reacting and who has a voice. Share your opinions on pieces around Covid and lead the conversation with your own articles. What’s important has suddenly shifted and everyone is keen to know how agencies are working to stay on track, adjusting to the new normal and even share your own thoughts and trends. Upload these insights onto your agency profile and show brands how you can seamlessly pivot for the current climate.

Go virtual with your agency space

As our inboxes fill up with recommendations on the latest event going online, now is the time to open up your agency to more people than ever by going online with webinars. Promoted through the events hub, and also on our homepage, these will help you take advantage of brands spending more time online and show them what you’re about - for instance, how does your agency play an important role in navigating the new normal. 

Lean into the community

The agency community is needed more than ever right now. It’s important to remember that it’s not just your agency facing these new challenges of uncertainty. Reach out to the community and learn from one another through sharing thoughts and insights. It’s also a great time to think about opportunities to collaborate and show support while creating valuable content.

Pitch different

The traditional pitch has long been in need of reform. For an industry that thrives on creativity and innovation, now is a better time than ever to make sure your agency is tech/VC ready. More brands than ever are using our online Projects tool to not only find agencies, but appoint them. So make sure you’re ready to go virtual and the best of your agency is delivered to brand marketers.