The following letter was sent to New York Times writer Claire Cain Miller in response to her article in today's Times. In the article (click here to read it), she describes agencies that are developing their own products.
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Dear Claire,
I enjoyed your article today about advertising agencies launching their own products. I agree that agencies stand to gain a lot by developing their own products and services. In this tough economy, this will put their feet to the fire in terms of seeing how much it costs to launch and maintain a product and/or service. Often, agencies want to spend, spend, spend on building a brand, while the client has to explain market forces and the economy to the agency. With the agency's money directly on the line, they stand to learn what it's like to be a client. Due to this, even if an agency doesn't want to offer its own product or service, it should do so. By becoming the 'client,' the agency can ironically become a better agency.
I have an advertising firm. We have worked with Newsweek, Tony n' Tina's Wedding, and home goods retailers, and I recently launched a travel product company named Air Wear. We've seen from our Air Wear dealings issues that mirror our advertising clients' issues. We can better relate to our clients because we are our own client. And then their are the perks of being the 'client.' When National Geographic Traveler magazine featured our products this past summer, our name wasn't buried like it is when our work is published for clients. Our name was right out front in the article. Overall, we are benefiting in many ways when we become agency and client.
Thank you.
Jason Solarek
Creative Director and Founder
Solarek Studio / Air Wear
http://www.solarek.com
http://www.solarek.com/airwear/
339 East 9th Street
New York, NY 10003
Office: 212-254-9654
___________________
Solarek Studio
Every Product Has a Story to Sell
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Dear Claire,
I enjoyed your article today about advertising agencies launching their own products. I agree that agencies stand to gain a lot by developing their own products and services. In this tough economy, this will put their feet to the fire in terms of seeing how much it costs to launch and maintain a product and/or service. Often, agencies want to spend, spend, spend on building a brand, while the client has to explain market forces and the economy to the agency. With the agency's money directly on the line, they stand to learn what it's like to be a client. Due to this, even if an agency doesn't want to offer its own product or service, it should do so. By becoming the 'client,' the agency can ironically become a better agency.
I have an advertising firm. We have worked with Newsweek, Tony n' Tina's Wedding, and home goods retailers, and I recently launched a travel product company named Air Wear. We've seen from our Air Wear dealings issues that mirror our advertising clients' issues. We can better relate to our clients because we are our own client. And then their are the perks of being the 'client.' When National Geographic Traveler magazine featured our products this past summer, our name wasn't buried like it is when our work is published for clients. Our name was right out front in the article. Overall, we are benefiting in many ways when we become agency and client.
Thank you.
Jason Solarek
Creative Director and Founder
Solarek Studio / Air Wear
http://www.solarek.com
http://www.solarek.com/airwear/
339 East 9th Street
New York, NY 10003
Office: 212-254-9654
___________________
Solarek Studio
Every Product Has a Story to Sell
