Time for change: Developing brave partnerships

For over a decade, we’ve been helping our clients be brave, writes Brendon Doig. Because to start a business is. Taking that leap of faith. Challenging the status quo. That courage is what inspires us and drives our work each day.But lately, we decided it was time for us to get a little braver too.

With the ever-changing nature of our industry, we decided to take a long look at ourselves. Business as usual, rate-cards and service-based work is how countless agencies get by, but is it really the best system? Both agency and clients lose when the relationship is purely transactional or service-based. It pigeon-holes work based on possible expenditure and it creates reactive relationships as opposed to prosperous business partnerships.

We decided to make a positive change. By focusing on a partnership model, the metric of success becomes effectiveness and value-added; not just doing work faster, or for less money, but working harder to make it more successful. In an industry being constantly challenged by new platforms, social influencers and ‘design experts’, we see merit in investing in sustainable, long-term partnerships, as we have with clients like Misty Cove wines, who have been with us since the beginning.

These partnerships thrive on collaboration. We frequently see our clients wanting to have greater involvement in the work and outcome and now encourage it regularly.

By doing so, we hope to inspire a culture of shared learning and continual insight gathering. A partnership, characterised less by billed time and individual campaigns, than by tailored solutions and proactive, effective ideas focused on long-term growth.

As Tim Brown, Allbirds founder, said, “It’s never been easier to take an idea to market, but never been harder to convert that into long-term success.” There’s no substitute for a strong product or service offering, but having a partner with digital expertise wholly committed to your business success can make all the difference.

There is no one-size-fits-all and while we still have a way to go, we’re hoping to continue breaking new ground, reaching a place where digital tools, data, creativity and shared expertise form the basis of powerful, profitable business partnerships that drive ongoing success.

For more information contact:  brendon@bravemedia.nz     

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