1. Enhancing Speed To Market In A Retail Environment Oddfellows Sydney

2. Background  Oddfellows are an agency with a heritage & strength in “brand retail” advertising.  In this environment, speed to market is an obvious competitive advantage for the agency, and its clients.  Toyota Motor Corporation Australia (a major client) are a heavy user of TV and radio. They demand not only cost effective speed to market of us, but also category leading creative standards.

3. Challenge How can we improve the quality of our product, and speed to market, for our current and potential clients.

4. Thinking  Must be a better way of working. What if production resources were involved at the beginning of the process rather than after the concept has been developed.  A Director working with a creative team as a resource during the creative development process would add great value.  This way of working is extended across all communication disciplines.  Digital & Interactive  DM  Promotions etc  This early involvement will not only add value to the product, also obviously “speeds up” the process, and stops some of the usual false starts and hic ups.  Budget vs technique  Timing  etc

5. Solution  Obvious solution to embed a production resource within the agency.  For a small agency this has cost and focus issues.  Our solution, to develop strategic partnerships with appropriate production houses, and physically locate them within the agency.  We now house the following within our building  Ashford Films – TV production and post  Speed of Sound – Sound design and radio production.  Strategic alliances formed with partners in other core disciplines

6. The Result  Recent client reviews (Aprais) has showed increases in measure of client satisfaction on both speed to market and quality of creative product.

7. The Watch Outs  The cultures must fit.  Creative independence must be retained in relation to choice of director.