Almost a year to the day (although it seems like yesterday), I assumed the role of President of AMIN Worldwide, a 60-brand strong network of independent ad agencies. It’s been a period that has coincided with some seismic shifts in our industry, especially the uncertainty swirling around the anticipated impacts of AI.
DPR&Co initially joined AMIN to leverage the great benefits the network offers our clients in terms of global reach, best practice and insights.
With a view to furthering these benefits for all AMIN agencies, I began my term with two clear priorities:
- To increase the value of AMIN membership to a broader cross-section of our members’ teams, thereby building support for the network among a future generation of leaders; and
- To leverage this value into a more compelling membership proposition that would help AMIN grow.
It would be fair to say that progress toward these goals has been slower than I’d have liked. That’s not through any lack of will – more the dynamics of bringing together 60 brands over 5 continents, with all the complexities of time zones, language and competing priorities.
The year that was
My first year as President has, however, been an amazing learning experience. Here are the main observations:
Technology: From India and Japan to Belgium and the USA, across agencies with 2000 people to those with 20, technology and economic variability are the disrupters that are keeping every agency leader on their toes. We’re all experiencing a cocktail of anxiousness and excitement over AI. We’re all watching the evolution of online connections and how the major players are shaping the rules of engagement. And we’re all looking for slivers of opportunity to ensure we maintain our role as trusted advisors to increasingly sophisticated marketing teams.
People: Every agency leader is looking to the future and is engaged in succession planning at some level with all of us recognising the need to future-proof our organisational skills base. We’re all managing the dizzying speed of change and trying to place smart bets on the emerging skills we’ll require to stay relevant.
Differentiation: Finding points of differentiation for our clients is core business for every communications firm. What has become obvious to me is the challenge of finding meaningful differentiation for our own brands. I have, however, been heartened and encouraged by the quality of thinking that my presidency has exposed me to.
Momentum: Few things happen quickly within a cooperative network such as ours. To begin with, being an AMIN leader is everyone’s second job. All of my fellow board members are agency directors or CEOs, already working long hours and struggling to manage their priorities. Progress tends to happen in bursts, when one of us grabs an initiative and drags the others into a period of intense focus. This is when decisions are made. Maintaining momentum is a constant challenge.
Culture: We may operate in a global economy, but there remain significant cultural differences – especially between the regions. Some of our European members, for example, are more direct than those from the Americas or, indeed, Australia – a problem we solved by adopting a culture of ‘radical candour’, which some of us found to be both confronting and liberating.
There are also differences in how we approach getting things done. In the Americas our members tend to be more collegiate, while our EAME members tend to assign accountabilities and expect an outcome. Both approaches have their benefits. I’d like to think the Australian culture is an amalgam of both, but that may be wishful thinking.
Network dynamics
I’m told that, for most network or volunteer groups, around 10% of members are highly motivated and willing to take on active leadership roles in their network, with the remainder along for the ride. This is not the case in our network. This is partially due to a constitution that mandates a certain level of contact. But it’s more than this. Ours is a network that supports friendship and sharing. I know that, with one email, I can secure the support or insights of members and content matter experts in any one of 27 countries. Better yet are the deep personal friendships I’ve formed – made closer during the first year of my presidency.
The year to come
I’m genuinely looking forward to my second year as the AMIN Global Board presidency. In a sense, the hard work is done and we’re agreed on a plan to implement. My hope is that I hand off to the next president with the network superbly equipped to grow and serving its members better than ever.
