This edition of  The Steam Room is the fourth of our new series in which media executives can “blow off some steam” in anonymous guest posts and hopefully start some conversation on the issues that are facing the industry. Feel free to comment and visit the Contact page if you’d like to contribute!

Who’s worse – the agency or the client?

By Michael Fairhaven (a pseudonym for a media sales executive)

As a salesperson, we often complain about the media agency.  They never call us back or reply to an email (ever).  They don’t communicate effectively to provide us with information on why we did, or did not make a plan.  They blanket the market with the same RFP whether you’re a network, portal, music site, sports site, kids site or technology site.  It doesn’t matter how big or small you are or what your core audience is, you’re going to get the same RFP.

Lately, however, I started thinking that the real criminal in the entire process might just be the client.  Recently, I’ve had some good conversations with senior level executives on the media side and I’ve begun to look in earnest at how the clients are set up to manage their digital business.  The truth is that I’m embarrassed for them.  Many of them have ZERO understanding of the Internet as a whole, let alone how the digital marketplace works.  In most cases, they don’t even have a digital specialist.  It’s often times the traditional folks who have been saddled with the additional responsibility of digital.  A rich media takeover?  An expandable banner with click to play functionality?  You might as well be speaking a language spoken in the deep jungle of South Africa.  They have no idea what you’re talking about.

I’ve recently spoken to my staff about the other revenue streams that we should try and tap into within an account.  But how likely are we to be able to call on PR agencies, creatives and client strategists for budgets?  The majority of clients would rather drop $35MM to become a rights holder of the NBA which allows them to basically throw the NBA logo on their ads and get center court 15^th row tickets at the All-Star game, than take 1/10 of that and work with their digital agency to test the multitude of opportunities that are being proven effective means of brand awareness and intent to purchase.

So to all of you agency folks out there, I feel for you.  I really do.  But I still think you can come in a little earlier in the day and return my email.