Why Real, Measurable Impact Can Only Come from Getting Close
The advertising landscape is undergoing a seismic shift. As network agencies navigate uncharted territories—merging, rebranding, mounting margin pressures, and laying off thousands—they are being forced to spend time and energy on things other than serving clients and growing their talent base. Meanwhile, a new breed of agencies has emerged, but in this David versus Goliath narrative, being hungry and independent isn’t enough. The real advantage lies in something more fundamental: intimacy.
The challenge facing these agencies isn’t competing with the giants, it’s distinguishing themselves from each other. While many position themselves as “more nimble, more responsive, more independent,” this narrative has become so common it’s practically meaningless. Industry insiders, from clients to pitch consultants, increasingly view these shops as just as interchangeable as the big networks they left behind. Being nimble and responsive aren’t differentiators, they’re the price of entry.
However, there’s a deeper truth at play. The key to creating work that truly resonates—that punches above its weight—isn’t about being independent; It’s about being close to people, problems, categories, technologies, and each other. This intimacy yields insights that data alone could never reveal.
In healthcare marketing, people don’t readily share their deepest fears, failures, or shame in a first meeting, through a survey, or in a focus group. But when you encourage open, honest conversations in more intimate settings, what you uncover may be surprising.
When talking with people who have Parkinson’s Disease, for example, it turns out they weren’t looking for a treatment to ensure they could be part of their granddaughter’s wedding or an anniversary dinner with their partner. They were dealing with challenges in their everyday lives, mundane sounding yet incredibly impactful ones, and they wanted to fight, and more than anything else to have their healthcare professionals fight for them. This kind of insight can only be gleaned by talking candidly one-on-one with patients and the doctors who treat them.
Similarly, while research might show that mothers seek treatment for their children’s molluscum, a common viral skin infection that causes small bumps on the body, because they fear social isolation, deeper engagement reveals a more practical truth: it’s the endless loads of laundry, daily pajama changes, and separate towels that finally drive them to the doctor’s office.
“It demands developing and cultivating relationships that allow not just for the honest asking of “why?” but, more importantly, for creating a welcoming and approachable space for the honest answer.”
This pattern repeats across industries. In gaming, convention suggests casino regulars are chasing jackpots, but intimate knowledge of the community reveals they’re often more interested in the social aspects and complimentary meals. Post-heart attack patients might tell researchers they want to return to normal, but closer relationships reveal many struggle with feelings of failure and unworthiness after months of secretly breaking their health regimens.
The value of intimacy extends beyond consumer insights. Clients don’t share their real concerns—the problems keeping them awake at night—in weekly 55-minute Zoom calls. Those revelations come from spending genuine time together, having conversations that aren’t bound by agendas, and developing a deep understanding of their business and challenges.
As the advertising industry continues its evolution, the agencies that will truly succeed are the ones that get closer. They’ll recognize that while data can reveal behaviors, understanding motivations requires proximity. It demands developing and cultivating relationships that allow not just for the honest asking of “why?” but, more importantly, for creating a welcoming and approachable space for the honest answer.
This isn’t just about being boutique or independent. It’s about recognizing that the truth lies deep and the only way to access it is through genuine connection. In a world increasingly driven by big data and artificial intelligence, perhaps the most powerful tool is still the most human one: the ability to get close, to understand deeply, and to translate that understanding into work that resonates on a profound level.
For brands looking for real impact, the question shouldn’t be “how big is your agency?” but rather, “how close can you get?”
