If I were a client today #1 – Setting up your internet department.
This is Toad. Toad belongs to Nintendo.
So this is the first part in the series “if I were a client today” and in it I’ll briefly touch on what it is like being a client, what we were like as a client and how the internet department came into being (I should point out that I really did use to be a client).
First up, I would like to set the scene for the company that I used to work for, the company that makes games and consoles. This is important as what follows builds upon the fact that we, as a client, were very clear about what we wanted to do, communicated it clearly and were open and genuinely excited about what we wanted to achieve together with an agency. We were not an easy client but we were a good client.
I joined the company in the first quarter of 2001 after two rounds of interviews and a final meeting with the European CEO. What impressed me most was how focused they were on what they needed for their team. They were looking for someone with a digital background, who understood the technology but also understood the dynamics of brands and communications. More importantly, although I really didn’t know it at the time, they were looking for someone who had experience in building what we called back then “communities”. Remember them? They had a plan and they were completely focused on who they needed to make that plan happen.
Back in 2001, nobody really knew where to put an Internet department. Sounds odd doesn’t it? I found out later that there had been plans to put the internet into the IT department, Marketing Department and Customer Service. In light of the way we look at the Internet from a marketing and brand communications perspective they eventually made a rather innovative, and in my opinion extremely important decision to put the Internet into the Product Research and Development Department.
The Product Research and Development Department was the focal point of the company. It was the secret department that had special security measures to get to it. We had all the new kit in there, all the new games and all of the prototypes for things to come. You didn’t come to visit us, we came to visit you. It also meant that, in terms of communications, we had better content. We had information and content that no one else within the organisation could get their hands on and because the internet department was buried into this we had information from our customers that we could feed directly into product development. Back then we called this “feed back” today it’s called a conversation.
The plan was quite simple. Product Research and Development would liaise with Marketing, sales and Customer Service to create a pan European platform. Product Research and Development were responsible for content, co-ordination of the six key European markets and a community/conversation component. Marketing were responsible for brand communications. The core team would work together, to build the ultimate platform for all of our “fans” (we called them fans and not consumers), across Europe.
As a team we were extremely focused and very clear about what we wanted to do. We quickly won over most of internal clients (you have clients you need to win within the company you work for), although it did take some time to get some of the European subsidiaries on board. We had the full backing of the European CEO, guaranteed support from our colleagues in the US and constant access to the legal department (and believe me that’s no easy thing). If we needed anything we got it. People were interested and excited by the project. Colleagues wanted to help and get involved.
When we had all this in place – we went to look for a partner to help make it happen. We went looking for an agency.
If I were a client today, and I was seriously thinking about getting it right online I would base it on the way we did it back then. I’d set up a core team of people who really know what they’re doing, and I’d put them either along side or in the Research and Development team. I’d be doing a lot of internal leg work and getting everybody excited about what it is we want to do. I’d do this all before we go looking for an agency.
Tomorrow, you’ll see why.
If you think that others might been interested in this would you be so kind as to Stumble it?
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lauren
absolutely! from a client’s position, it’s also much easier to find an agency who will get excited about what we do, if we’re excited about it in the first place.
and having a clarity of direction and understanding takes a lot of effort out of the relationship, leaving more room for fireworks and lovely stuff.
Nov 7th, 2007
Marcus Brown
You’d think so wouldn’t you?
Nov 7th, 2007
Rob Mortimer
You would.
Though I hazard there are many lessons to be learnt in this topic yet…
Nov 7th, 2007
Adam
“I’d set up a core team of people who really know what they’re doing, and I’d put them either along side or in the Research and Development team.”
And hire us young digital folk to push it. Trust me. Speed of light!
Nov 7th, 2007
Marcus Brown
We may have a little argument about that young Adam.
Nov 7th, 2007
Adam
*Gulps*
Nov 7th, 2007
Marcus Brown
Come come Adam. You’re young digital folk - so why so nervous.
But answer me this. Why should I, as a client, trust you/your agency just because you’re young and digital? And why is the set up of the core team so interesting? Why could you “push it” at the speed of light?
I’m interested, honest.
Nov 7th, 2007
Adam
I am keen to answer.
I thought that your next post would automatically point out my lack of understanding on this matter; that your “may have a little argument” was a postponement until then.
I’m not shy about advocating that planners should be ‘before the product’ and are best deployed within client ‘making things’ teams.
By ‘digital’ I’m not referring to all that banner/viral/flashy “digital marketing” shod.
I’m talking about ‘real’ digital folk. The type of people who’s immediate response upon seeing something new is to ask how many inputs and outputs its got.
Network thinkers, seeking network effects. Wealth creation. Speed of light!
Self-correction: Young-minded.
Nov 7th, 2007
NP
This is going to be interesting.
I happen to think planning folk are best used as early as possible, but a team that knows what it’s doing is equally important.
People who don’t tend to pretend, get defensive and won’t give out information. They rarely admit they haven’t a clue.
Agencies rarely admit they NEED a client that knows what they are doing. You see, they pretend to be able to get to the heart of the business, have a commercial head etc. But in reality, they need someone to say yes/no/you haven’t thought of this too.
Carry on.
Nov 7th, 2007
Marcus Brown
Adam - best get it done now, that’s what I say. Now then. I called you on this because we had similar “reactions” when the industry got wind of the fact that we were shopping for a partner.
Now, I don’t want hurt anybody here with friendly fire - but I had to call you on it. You see, as a client I simply haven’t got a clue what you’re talking about. I actually had telephone conversations (yup, agencies do the cold call shuffle) which were nearly identical to what you’ve said here. Bear in mind I took those calls over six years ago and you start to build a picture of why I think nothing has changed at all.
I know you’re smart (I’ve not met you but I’ve heard good things about you) and I’m sorry if this all seems a little harsh but “speed of light” ain’t gonna be winning you this account. And because I think you’re smart and you work in a very smart place I’d really like to understand why you and your agency are different from the agencies from way back when.
Nov 7th, 2007
Rob Mortimer
Ouch.
*Zing..* (etc)
Thats a fascinating point about the comments being the same. I am now even more intrigued as to where this is going.
Nov 7th, 2007
Adam
Thank you.
Though, I’d never ‘pitch’ on a blog on behalf of my agency. Not very kind of you to suggest that I was or would - hypothetically speaking, of course. ;^)
Nov 7th, 2007
Marcus Brown
Adam - I know I’m naughty. And I know you weren’t pitching because there is simply no business to pitch for.
Nov 7th, 2007
Rob @ Cynic
While I agree with NP that planners should be brought as early into the ‘problem’ as possible - if that planner is one dimensional [be it television focused or interactive obsessed] I think that ultimately can be more of a hinderance than a liberator.
The other thing is that while the ‘young’ have energy, hunger and ingenuity, the ‘older’ tend to have experience, understanding and appreciation so it’s not a case of one being better than the other, it’s a case of each having a skill set that should be utilised rather than divided.
Of course none of this works if you don’t have someone leading the whole show with vision and specific goals - but I guess what I am saying is I hate a mentality that one discipline can answer every problem because in my experience, it tends to lead to masses of missed opportunities because the blinkers have been on from the start.
Great post - I’m warming up to this already - and I’m learning why I made so many fuckups with the startups I was involved with years ago, ha!
Nov 8th, 2007
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