What's in a name?

[Jake Yarbrough]

I need some help describing something.

PSFK has a post this morning regarding the conference in Los Angeles. At this conference, the group has agreed to drop the term "marketing" from the agenda. The reason the article cites is that the PSFK team and attendees believe marketing is too limiting a descriptor.

For the last five years, I've wrestled with this same issue. My employers and I have described ourselves as a "full service advertising agency with special expertise in (fill in the industry here)." However, we do so much more than just advertising and design. We are consultants. We help write business plans. We create sales tactics. We write software solutions.

Seems to me, at the end of the day, we are about solving problems. It just happens our training and experience is filtered through a lens of creative communications.

We are a very small agency in Texas — going through the process of internal branding. Obviously, I am not asking the forum to give away any secrets, but we're having an internal discussion later this week and guidance from my esteemed online colleagues would be valuable.

Does anyone have any suggestions or tips about a succinct way to describe what we do when talking with current clients and prospects? Something that is clear without being limiting? Anyone have any resources you can point me to where I can explore this issue more?

Thanks.

[gemma]

We help business, brands and consumers to talk to each other.

[Jake Yarbrough]

Thanks, gemma and Adam. I've been wrestling in my mind with the analogy of a bridge — bringing brands and consumers together. Is there any validity in that? Or, is it too sterile? Too cold? The "talking" and "working together" is definitely more human.

[Jake Yarbrough]

Fantastic stuff, Adam. Thanks.

I followed all of the links above and then some. Obviously I've stumbled on a topic that is deeper and infinitely more interesting than my original question. And, honestly, something I've wondered about in the back of my mind as well. Nice to see there are some like-minded souls out there.

Jake

[Mike Arauz]

I just posted something about this today. Russell Davies made a good point about dropping the term "Brand;" and I think "Marketing" is in need of the same re-evaluation. It's really about facilitating the dialog between the bearers of an offering and the communities who are likely to find the offering compelling and relevant.

[Mike Arauz]

"Reputation Shepherds?"

Yeah, kinda. There's definitely something important about establishing your role as someone who is there to provide guidance. Helping our clients make the right moves.

[gemma]

On the other hand, we need a descriptor simple enough that even the greenest of newbie clients can get their head around what an agency (and its Planning function) can do for their business/brand/problem/customers etc.

And one that wouldn't get the Old School Businessmen in Suits client contingent muttering darkly about poncy advertising agencies :-)