Voxpop

Last week Edinburgh groups The Almond Consultancy and Kirkhill Design Consultants merged to attract larger clients (DW 29 March). How important is a consultancy’s size to major clients when it comes to handing out big projects?

‘Small is beautiful if you want to maintain creative excellence. When that big project comes in you have to size up to be able to punch above your weight. More groups with complementary skills are coming together to offer clients a stronger working partnership with a greater choice of creative teams. From the client’s perspective, large or small it comes down to the same thing – the person who controls the quality.’

Glenn Tutssel, Executive Creative Director, Tutssels Enterprise IG

‘I think more and more client decisions are made, based upon the chemistry that develops with a consultancy and the real depth of creative/ strategic thinking, regardless of size. On balance, I’d say that size is only important to clients who want safety and are less concerned about creativity and ‘smart risk’. Larger clients with larger projects want a high degree of reassurance. Sadly, size does seem to satisfy this need.’

Tim Watson, Managing Director, Duffy London

‘Too many of the large companies have spent the last few years building master strategies that they have forced clients to fit into. Very few of these have delivered. The key to winning big contracts is still the same – passion, knowledge and a great visual approach, coupled with the ability to deliver on time.’

Mark Rock, Director of Creative Strategy, Static 2358

‘Polarisation is inevitable where the big get bigger and the smaller get more resolutely different. From a client perspective, if bigger means you can do my projects faster, cheaper and intelligently co-ordinated across markets then I am with you. If it means my project is not your most important, and that I don’t get the best people then no thank you. There will always be clients who recognise the safety of an easy sell big name to get support for their projects internally, or even externally with the City. Thankfully, there will also always be clients who look for an agency that will give them a chance of competitive advantage by doing something extraordinary. If it is a choice between size and individuality then give me individuality every time.’

Richard Gowar, Strategic Consultant to the Elmwood Nursery