Performance Isn't Everything, Don't Forget the Brand

If you’re at a digital shop focused primarily on driving performance, you may find yourself forgetting the brand identity of the clients’ ads your serving.

While this may sound blasphemous, don’t be so quick to judge. It’s easy to look past the image of a client when your KPI is to sell sell sell. Most everyone has done it; your colleagues, your boss, your competitors, and even the clients themselves.

Don’t get me wrong. Everyone likes to make money, especially clients. Happy clients = happy agencies, right? Well all of this is true, but when putting together a plan for a new campaign, product, or sale, stop and think about the client’s best interest and their brand image long-term.

Below are five questions I’ve put together for you to ask yourself when planning your next project:

What’s the KPI of this campaign? (Drive sales, increase awareness, new site registrants, etc.)

What kind of messaging is being used? (What is the client trying to convey – how do they want their advertisements to be received?)

Does the messaging differ from their overarching brand strategy? (If not, how can you leverage the current messaging to increase overall impact. If the strategy differs, make sure you keep the client’s best interest in mind when utilizing partners, audience targeting, and any additional resources).

Have you done anything similar to this previously? (Whether it’s been on this client, or even a different one. Make sure to tap into your agency’s resources to expand on any previous successes, and conversely avoid any previous mistakes.)

Is there a better option / is this even a good idea? (Probably one of the hardest questions to answer, but shouldn’t be overlooked. You have to remember that as an agency, it’s our job to advise our clients. This is not limited to offering alternatives to their ideas or even opposing them entirely, albeit respectfully).

While these questions may not solve all of your problems when putting a plan together, it’s important to remember that forgetting these entirely can have large repercussions. Even if you’re a performance agency focusing primarily on direct response tactics, it’s always important to know the impact on your client’s brand.