Affiliation:
1. British Council, UK
2. Lancaster University, UK
Abstract
UK advertising agency managers' perspectives on the impact of digital media (threats and opportunities) on their roles and models of managing are explored in this chapter. In the context of digital creative strategy, and the advertising industry specifically, there is far less published work, much of which has been in the context of larger, often global agencies rather than on independent SMEs. This interpretive research reviews the literature then employs semi-structured in-depth interviews with creative managers within a range of UK SME advertising agencies to analyse their views and responses to digital media. The study finds four key themes which illustrate how managers in SME advertising agencies have responded: 1) digital media as a pre-test laboratory, 2) unclear boundaries among the actors within the nodes of the agency social network, 3) fewer financial resources but more dedication to creative concepts, and 4) reduction in customer information processing costs. Relationships with larger agencies are being redeveloped as opportunity, but SMEs also represent a threat to agencies through innovation.