1.廣告公司是一個幫助廣告商制作廣告所有階段的業務——從賬戶管理和計劃創建消息到媒體計劃和研究，面面俱到(p.29 Bergh & Katz,1999)。換句話說,廣告代理服務公司,專注于為客戶創建廣告項目的計劃和執行。一家廣告公司的基礎任務放在客戶端上,客戶端也代表了一些機構的決策權(米爾斯,1990)。在大多數情況下,該機構在媒體的借助下使用創意。通常供應支持市場研究,甚至可能參與整個營銷計劃。活動開展和自治的數量允許該機構從一個關系到另一個的變化(阿克&邁爾斯1987年,用語)

2. 廣告服務可以被定義為提供給其他公司關注計劃、生產和/或交付的廣告。購買和廣告服務旨在提高采購公司的業績(威爾遜,1982)。

3.廣告將影響客戶的態度、意圖和行為,從而增加銷售，對公司的發展做出貢獻。

4.任何服務的核心都是與利益聯系的。因此在購買廣告服務時,公司的采購和創造力體現在個體中。創意是廣告的核心和靈魂服務,因此資源在每一個業務關系中是至關重要的。

5.下面是廣告公司的特點:盡管知識和創造力往往是有形式的，但是廣告基本都是無形的活動，例如廣告服務行為、規劃、生產和交付。如。寫摘要、研究報告、廣告和廣告視頻等等。廣告的結果及其對顧客的影響往往是無形的。廣告的最終目標通常為客戶生產經濟效益,但它是很難評估這些益處的。

 

Advertising agency is a business that assists advertisers in all stages of the advertising process - from account management and planning to message creation, media planning, and research (Bergh & Katz, 1999, p.29).  In another words, advertising agencies are service companies that specialise in planning and execution of advertising programmes for their clients (Belch & Belch, 1990, p.61-63).  An advertising agency acts on the basis of an assignment placed by the client in which the client also delegates some decision making authority to the agency (Mills, 1990).  In most cases the agency makes the creative and media decisions.  Often it supplies supporting market research as well, and may even be involved in the total marketing plan.  The activities undertaken and the amount of autonomy allowed to the agency vary from one relation ship to another (Aaker & Myers, 1987, p.10).

 

Advertising services can be defined as packages of activities that are offered to other companies and which concern the planning, production and / or delivery of advertising.  Advertising services are bought and designed to improve the purchasing company’s performance and well-being (Wilson, 1982).  

 

Advertising is expected to influence the attitudes, intentions and behaviour of the client’s customers and thus increase sales and contribute to the growth of the client company. 

 

The core of any service is linked to the benefit it offers to the buyers.  Therefore in buying advertising services, companies are purchasing knowledge and creativity embodied in individual people.  Creativity is the heart and soul of advertising services and consequently a vital resource in every business relationship (Halinen, p.28).

 

The following are the characteristics of advertising agency:

 

The advertising services acts, planning, production and delivery of advertising are all essentially intangible activities, despite the fact that the knowledge and creativity are often translated in tangible forms .  e.g. written briefs, research reports, commercials and advertising videos etc.  The outcomes of advertising and its effect on customers are often intangible as well.  The final goal of advertising is usually to produce concrete economic benefits for the clients, but it is extremely difficult to assess these benefits.

 

Advertising services, in contrast to capital-intensive services are people-intensive.  In organizations, the knowledge may be embedded in individuals, in the organization itself or in capital equipment.  In the advertising business the core service is bound primarily to the individuals who provide it.  The role of facilities and equipment is secondary in the provision of services.  This means that the participation individuals significantly influence the perceived quality of the advertising service and the whole business relationship.  It is said that if the client has a favourable personal relationships with the account service personnel, then they are most likely to be satisfied with the agency (Cagley, 1986).

 

1.0 The Interactive Nature of Service Processes

 

Advertising services are produced - and partly consumed - in an interaction between agency and client (Halinen, p.30). The client’s participation in the production process is crucial.  The client commissions the assignment to the agency, negotiates the terms, provides the necessary information for the account management group and executes the acceptance of the plans and materials.  The coordination between the agency and the client is needed in the relationship.

 

The degree of client participation is also connected with the degree of customisation or standardisation of the advertising agency.  Advertising agency services are usually highly customised with respect to both the service options and the service process.  It is important for the advertising agency to tailor their services to the special needs of the client’s firm.  Each client is different in its marketing strategy and products, therefore expects different creative and distinctive advertising campaign and advertisements.  Therefore the agency must fist and foremost adopt the role of problem-solvers, who are expected to apply their knowledge and creativity to a specific client’s brief.   

 

International advertising agency is also known as full-service agency offers advertising services such as marketing, communications, promotions services (planning, creating and producing the advertising), research and media selection; non-advertising services such as strategic marketing planning, sales promotions, direct marketing and interactive capabilities, package design and public relations is also offered.

 

International advertising agency is made up of departments that provide the activities needed to perform the various advertising functions to serve the clients.  The organizational structures of an international advertising agency is shown below:

 

An advertising agency’s main purpose is to create ideas.  The creative department is responsible for bringing an advertising campaign to life.  The ideas are turned into actual advertising messages designed to target relevant audiences to inform them the benefits offered by a particular product or service.  The creative team consist of the copywriter and art directors.  The copywriter is the writer in the tem that conceive the ideas for the ads and write the headlines, subheads, and body copy (the words creating the message).  They may also be involved in deciding the basic appeal or theme of an ad campaign and prepare a rough initial visual layout of the ad commercial.  The art directors is responsible for how the advertisement looks.  The art director prepares drawings that show what the ad will look like and from which the final artwork will be produced then it is translated into commercials whether in print (magazines, newspapers, billboards etc.) or electronic (Television, radio etc.) productions.  The creative department work together to develop ads that will communicate the creative strategy for the client’s product or service (Belch & Belch, 2001, p.82).

 

The traffic department coordinates all stages of ad production to make sure that the ads are completed on time and that all deadlines are met.

 

The media department determine where and when advertising messages should be placed.  The media planners put together a schedule of different media vehicles and decide which medium will best reach the target audience at what cost.  Once the plan is approved by the client, it is then executed by the media buyers, who negotiate with the media for space and time.  Media buyers and planners work together to determine which media will be most effective at delivering the client’s brand’s message with cost efficiency (Arens, 1999, p.101).      

 

The primary role of the account planner is to learn as much as possible about how consumers interact with the client’s brand and how it fits into their lifestyle (Bergh & Katz, 1999, p.33).  In another word, the account planner focus on the consumer’s perspective and the relationship with the client’s brand. 

 

The account planners act as strategist who prepare comprehensive recommendations about the consumer’s wants, needs and their relationship to the client’s brand and how the advertising should work to satisfy consumers (Wells, Burnett & Moriarty, 2000, p.82). 

 

The following points summarises the key functions of planning department:

 

­Understand the wants, desires, thoughts, concerns, motivating forces and ideals of the consumer. (Expert on consumer behaviour).

 

­Researches secondary data and conducts focus groups and one-on-one interviews.

 

­Acts as an advisor to the account, creative and media departments.

 

­Helps develop, refine and evaluate potential strategies and assists in creative process by providing insight on the consumers.

 

Account Management Group (Account Service Department)

 

The account management group consist of account directors (leader of the group), account managers and account executives.  The account management is the link between the advertising agency and its client to ensure that the agency focuses its resources on the client’s needs.  It is responsible for interpreting the client’s marketing strategy for the rest of the agency.  The account management department develops its own point of view, which then the account director (manager) presents to the client.  Once the client and the agency together have established the general guidelines for a campaign, the account management department supervises the day-to-day development within these guidelines (Wells, Burnett & Moriarty, 2000, p.81).  The account management group is also known as the marketing arm of the agency.  

 

Key Account Management Group Functions

 

Importance to Client Importance to Agency

 

­Represent the agency to the client and the client to the agency. ­ Coordinates the day-to-day work of all departments of the agency for the account.

 

­Maintains a good relationship with the client. ­Moves and promotes ideas both inside the agency and to the client.

 

­Responsible for quality of service to the client. ­ Supervise the advertising business assigned to the agency.

 

­Has thorough knowledge of the client’s business. ­ Analyzes competitive activity and consumer trends.

 

­Helps the client set goals and a budget. ­ Reports clients’ billings and forecasts agency’s income.

 

­Clearly explain the client’s needs to agency research, creative and media departments. ­ Determines that the final product is profitable and effective for the client and the agency.

 

The account director is responsible for looking after the client’s interests and understanding the client’s marketing and promotions needs and interpret them to agency personnel.  The account director is also responsible for coordinating agency efforts in planning, creating and producing of ads.  As the most critical person in the agency - looking after the agency-client relationships, the account director must know a great deal about the client’s business and be able to communicate this to other personnel in the agency working on the account.  The account director also presents agency recommendations to the client and obtains their approval (Belch & Belch, 2001, p.80).

 

2.0 Why Companies use the services of Advertising Agencies

 

The main reason why companies are using advertising agencies services is that agencies provide them with the services of highly skilled individuals who are specialists in their chosen fields.  An advertising agency staff include account manager, artists, writers, media analysts, researchers, and others with special skills, knowledge and experience that can help market the companies’ (clients’) products or services.  

 

Another reason for using an advertising agency is they can provide an objective viewpoint of the market and its business to companies that is not subject to internal company policies, biases, or other limitations.  Advertising objectivity is necessary to maintain an independent and unbiased view of the marketplace and the consumers for companies (Wells, Burnett & Moriarty, 2000. p.79).  The advertising agency can bring on the extensive range of experience it has gained while working on a diverse set of marketing problems for its various clients.  For example, an advertising agency that is handling a travel related account may have individuals staffs who have worked with other travel related accounts like airlines, travel agencies, hotels, cruise ship companies etc. (Belch & Belch, 2001, p.79).  The agency may have experience in the company’s industry and may even have previously worked on the advertising accounts of the company’s competitors, therefore the agency can provide them with insight into the industry and possibly the competitions.

 

The following are some reasons why companies should hire and use advertising agency services:

 

­Advertising agencies are the communication specialists.

 

­With expanding marketing dimensions businesses have increased problems with marketing communication.  Advertising agencies have the experience and know-how to decrease these problems with improved performance and efficiency.

 

­Advertising agencies understand the fundamentals of integrated marketing communications and the consumer buying process.

 

­Advertising agencies have the experiences and contacts to put companies’ business ahead in the marketing communications field.

 

­Advertising agencies have the experience and talent to effectively engage and inform companies’ customers about the services or products.

 

­Advertising agencies have experience with other similar companies' products and services.

 

­An advertising agency can afford more communication specialists than a company can because advertising firms spread the cost over many accounts. 

 

Advantages of using Advertising Agency Services:

 

­By using an advertising agency, a company’s business will stand apart and above the competition.

 

­Advertising will discourage and intimidate the competition.

 

­By using an advertising agency, a company’s business will retain corporate identity and customers will be reminded of their product or service. 

 

­When entering new markets, advertising agencies can educate prospects about the benefits and features of a company’s product or service.

 

­Advertising promotes consumer good will and can increase employee moral.

 

­Advertising builds relationships with companies’ prospective customers while maintaining strong relationships with current customers.

 

­Advertising agencies work rigorously to meet and exceed companies needs and expectations. 

 

­Using an advertising agency will help company’s business reach its marketing goals.

 

­Advertising agencies can strategically position company, services, and products in the market. 

 

­Advertising agencies can re-position the competition, their services, and their products placing the client’s company ahead in the market. 

 

­Advertising agencies can help companies generate revenue by building awareness of their product or service and therefore increasing sales.

 

Here is an example of how U.S. Mazda have use the services of Doner advertising agency to achieve its marketing objectives.

 

Mazda has been selling cars and trucks in the highly competitive U.S. market for more than three decades.  Its various models have always received high remarks from consumers in areas such as styling, performance, reliability and value.  

 

However, during the mid 90s, Mazda introduced six new models in less than a year and was lack of focus in its marketing and advertising plans.  From 1994 to 1997, Mazda’s U.S. sales dropped nearly 70% and reached its lowest level in 15 years (Belch & Belch, 2001, p.3).  

 

When Richard Beattie took over as the president of Mazda North American Operations in early 1997, he found Mazda is an inefficient company with an “image that was bouncing all around.”  Most of the advertising for the various Mazda models focused on the prices and functional features of the cars and little attention was being given to Mazda’s image and positioning.  Richard Beattie recognized that a change in marketing strategy as well as advertising philosophy was needed if Mazda wants to regain its strong position in the U.S. market.

 

Therefore, a new marketing strategy was developed that refocus its efforts and target a younger generation of drivers who appreciate cars with sporty features and want to make a statement about themselves with their cars.  In 1997, Mazda awarded its $250 million business to an advertising agency , W.B. Doner & Co., now known as Doner.  The agency was given the task of building an image that would capture Mazda’s overall personality and set its vehicles apart from other cars.  The agency was also asked to develop an advertising theme that could be used for the Mazda brand rather than trying to establish a separate image for each various model. 

 

Doner has come up and developed a simple but powerful slogan for Mazda, “Get In. Be Moved.”  The slogan is seen as more than just an advertising tagline; it’s a brand promise.  Mazda’s group manager of brand strategy and communication notes, “It’s an invitation to the consumer, a motivation and a promise that you come to Mazda, you get in, and we promise that you’ll be moved by what our cars have to offer.” (Gazdik, 1999).

 

One of the first challenges Doner undertook was to develop a campaign to completely reposition Mazda’s Protégé model.  The Protégé was positioned as a step up from a compact sedan but retained compact attributes such as fuel efficiency and price.  The new advertising strategy has positioned Protégé as a cool, fun, hip-to-drive vehicle for young, individualistic females.  To launch the repositioning campaign for the Protégé, Doner developed several television commercials that combined computer generated backgrounds with live action and feature a group of hip 20-somethings carpooling in a Protégé. 

 

The new campaign has been very successful in repositioning the Protégé and has attracted many young buyers.  Sales of the Protégé increased 33% in the fourth quarter of 1998 and nearly 20% in 1999 (Guilford, 1999).  The “Get In. Be Moved” tagline was also being used in campaigns for other Mazda models.  The Mazda’s U.S. total sales were up 12.1% in 1998.  

 

It is Doner agency’s successful creativity and strategy that has helped Mazda to reposition its brand image and personality in the consumers’ minds.  Without the agency’s expertise and knowledge, Richard Beattie’s (president of Mazda) repositioning strategy would be difficult to implement by its own.  This is why many companies are using the services of advertising agencies such as its specialised skills, knowledge and creative minds to help create and implement their marketing strategy into life

3.0 Bibliography:
 

­Aaker, D. & Myers, J.G. (1987). Advertising management. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall.

­Arens, W.F. (1999). Contemporary Advertising (7th Ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill.

­Belch, G. E. & Belch, M. A. (1990). Introduction to Advertising and Promotion Management. Homewood, IL: Rechard D. Irwin Inc.

­Belch, G.E., & Belch, M.A. (2001). Advertising and Promotion: An Integrated marketing Communications Perspective. New York: McGraw-Hill.#p#分頁標題#e#

­Bergh, B.G., & Katz, H. (1999). Advertising Principles. Chicago: NTC Publishing Group.

­Cagley, J.W. (1986). A Comparison of Advertising Agency Selection Factors: Advertiser and Agency Perceptions. Journal of Advertising Research 26(3), 39-44.

­Gazdik, T. (1999). Doners Gets Moved. Adweek. 40(4), 58-61.

­Guilford, D. (1999). Rivals Spur Mazda Protege into High Gear. Adage.com [On-line]. Available: http://adage.com.

­Halinen, A. (1997). Relationship Marketing in Professional Services: A Study of Agency - Client Dynamics in the Advertising Sector. London: Routledge.

­Mills, P. K. (1990). On the Quality of Services in Encounters: An Agency Perspective. Journal of business Research 20(1), 31-41.

­Wells, W., Burnett, J., & Moriarty, S. (2000). Advertising: Principles and Practice (5th Ed.). New Jersey: Prentice-Hall.

­Wilson, A. (1982). The Marketing of professional Services. London: McGraw-Hill.

­Batra, R., Myers, J.G., & Aaker, D.A. (1996). Advertising Management (5th Ed.). New Jersey: Prentice Hall.

­Butterfield, L. (1997). Excellence in Advertising: The IPA guide to best practice. London: Butterworth-Heinemann.

­Hameroff, E.J. (1998). The Advertising Agency Business (3rd Ed.). Chicago: NTC Publishing Group.

­Jones, J.P. (1999). How to Use Advertising to Build Strong Brands. California: Sage Publications, Inc.