Rethink Your Agency’s Approach to RFIs & RFPs
I recently had the opportunity to interview Chris Shumaker, former CMO of the Martin Agency, FCB Worldwide, Publicis USA, and Grey NA. Chris has a wealth of knowledge about the RFP and RFI process, which he’s generously shared with us here. by Mark Duval – The Duval Partnership

Relationships with agency partners can be complex. Marketers are not just buying widgets — they have a unique and constantly evolving need to build brands and communicate messages to an intended target audience. Agency partners must be able to adapt to meet those shifting needs while delivering a constant level of quality and service.
Marketers like to try new things. One of the reasons many of us got into this profession is the ever-changing nature of it and the fact that there is always innovation: new channels, tools, tactics and technology to learn and master.
In today’s “quantum age of marketing,” the advances of technology are rapidly evolving, impacting every area of our lives at a rate never before seen in human history.
Produced jointly by GfK and the National Retail Federation, the white paper, “Decoding the Personalization Paradox,” helps retailers and brands apply personalization at scale. Download the report to learn more about consumers’ needs, desires and concerns about targeting and personalization and how marketers can use this information to guide smarter decision-making as they ramp up one-to-one marketing.
This report details additional foundational research on modeling and segmentation conducted in support of the 2020 Census Integrated Partnership and Communications Program. Modeling efforts offer predictions of Census tract overall self-response rates, proportion of self-response on the internet, and timing of response.
It’s official – Physical and digital engagement is paramount for effective customer engagement. No matter what age, gender or location, consumers around the world agree that when it comes to brand interactions, personal, trusted and reliable omnichannel engagement is THE preferred option and choice.
Despite the growing popularity of connected devices in the home, including smart devices, streaming media players, and smart TVs, a new report from The NPD Group reveals that 31 percent of U.S. households do not currently have a broadband connection (25Mbps per second download speed or greater). This equates to roughly 100 million consumers, totaling nearly one-third of the U.S. population, and the vast majority of these consumers are in rural markets.
I was lucky enough to interview a total of 16 advertising industry luminaries in Cannes for our Future Proof podcast. Each interview was provocative (and occasionally expletive) but, collectively, they represent a compelling viewpoint on the big issues facing marketing today. by Jane Ostler – Global Media Domain Lead / Kantar
The Ad Council announced a new arm: Ad Council Edge. A strategic consultancy, Ad Council Edge, builds on the Ad Council’s rich history of developing compelling and cutting-edge purpose-driven marketing campaigns to advise companies and nonprofit organizations on ways to inspire and engage the public on today’s most pressing issues.
What’s ahead for telecom providers in 2019? Fifth generation (5G) wireless technologies will be gaining ground quickly, unleashing the full potential of augmented and virtual reality, Smart Cities, and IoT. Mic Locker, managing director in Deloitte Consulting LLP’s Technology, Media & Telecommunications (TMT) industry practice, shares her thoughts on opportunities for growth in our new telecom industry overview.
Perion Network Ltd. announced that Undertone, a cross-platform Synchronized Digital Branding for the world’s most prominent brands, and Alphonso, a TV data company that is relied on by marketers, agencies and broadcasters for mission-critical metrics, are partnering to bring together Undertone’s digital creative capabilities and premium reach with Alphonso’s large-scale TV viewership data.
When I read “Managing In-House Agency Creative Content and Legal Concerns,” the Association of National Advertisers’ new study with Boston Consulting Group and Reed Smith, one thought kept crossing my mind: Partnership is key. by Marla Kaplowitz – president and CEO of the 4A’s























