The next media agency pitch may be years away, but the foundations for delaying it are laid at the start of the relationship. Get the governance, contract and incentives right from day one by future-proofing your agency relationship with these four foundations.
Clear objectives, responsibilities and ways of working provide both sides with a strong foundation, supported by shared accountability and the conditions agencies need to deliver effectively. That is why ECI Media Management and ISBA have developed a practical a framework that builds on these foundations through four connected disciplines: clear outcomes, aligned incentives, robust measurement and a contract that brings them together.
Ultimately, it’s about building a relationship that keeps delivering, so you don’t need to return to an expensive, disruptive pitch process sooner than necessary. These four foundations show you where to focus.
1. Define what success looks like
Align key stakeholders internally to define the organisation’s business priorities and establish what success should look like. This creates clarity around the desired outcomes and the role that media and the agency relationship should play in achieving them.
Translate those priorities into clear, measurable media KPIs so the agency understands how its performance will be judged. A shared understanding of the expected outcomes gives the advertiser and agency a common basis for managing performance, making decisions and working towards the same objective
2. Align incentives with value
Align remuneration and commercial incentives with the value the agency is expected to create. The commercial model should reflect the advertiser’s objectives and the outcomes expected from the relationship.
Commercial arrangements should incentivise the behaviours and performance that support those objectives. Clear alignment between remuneration, expectations and value gives both sides a consistent basis for evaluating the agency’s contribution.
3. Measure what matters
Assign clear accountability for reviewing agency and media performance, and ensure the agreed KPIs are measurable. Make the necessary budget and resources available to evaluate performance properly, consistently and fairly.
Use the findings to understand what is working and identify where improvements are needed. Clear ownership enables both sides to act on the results, carry the learning into future planning and strengthen performance over time.
4. Build clarity into the contract
Document the expectations, responsibilities, commercial terms, governance arrangements and performance requirements that underpin the relationship. The contract should reflect the objectives, ways of working and commercial arrangements agreed by the advertiser and agency.
By codifying these elements, the contract provides a clear structure for managing the relationship and holding both sides accountable. It brings the different parts of the framework together and gives the advertiser and agency a common point of reference as the relationship develops.
Keep the relationship ready for change
Getting the foundations right is only the start. As AI reshapes how media is traded and ownership of tasks becomes more fluid between clients, agencies and specialists, the relationship needs room to evolve. Contracts should reflect those changes so both sides remain clear on their responsibilities, while regular reviews help keep agreements and ways of working aligned as priorities change.
Download the full guide to put clear expectations, aligned incentives and shared accountability into practice.
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