Another week, more layoffs.
A few rounds ago, I wrote on LinkedIn about how mass layoffs are an outward indication of changing priorities for large companies, and the less visible impact these shifts have on the creative agencies who serve them.My assertion in that post was that this is a client concentration problem on the surface, and a marketplace positioning problem at the root.
When you turn this lens on internal creative teams, some of the same vulnerabilities are exposed, and it becomes clear why these groups are often of the first to get riffed.
But wait, you ask, don’t internal creative teams have the inside scoop on shifting priorities? Don’t they have a front row seat to the context in which decisions are made?
In my experience in-house resources are often engaged in the same way as external agencies: They are approached with a brief from an internal client, and entirely dependent on that client for context.
But wait, how can an internal team have a client concentration program? Aren’t they working for one client?
Just like external agencies often work with a key stakeholder representing one program, many internal teams have multiple clients within the broader organization. When people move out of roles and/or programs are shut down, the team can lose projects just like external agencies.
But wait, how can an in-house creative team have a marketplace positioning problem? Aren’t they operating within and supporting the defined marketplace position of their own company?
In this context, meaningful positioning becomes the currency of relevance. Are you seen by your organization as an expert partner with a seat at the strategy table, or are you seen as a pair of hands to execute on the plans of others?
The former position is rooted in expertise and influence, the latter in cost savings. And as usual, when cost becomes the primary differentiator the risk of being replaced by a cheaper alternative is greater.
Internal creative teams that develop meaningful positioning within their own organizations are more likely to make it through this weather intact and thriving.
#layoffs #creative #marketing #videoproduction
When you turn this lens on internal creative teams, some of the same vulnerabilities are exposed, and it becomes clear why these groups are often of the first to get riffed.
But wait, you ask, don’t internal creative teams have the inside scoop on shifting priorities? Don’t they have a front row seat to the context in which decisions are made?
In my experience in-house resources are often engaged in the same way as external agencies: They are approached with a brief from an internal client, and entirely dependent on that client for context.
But wait, how can an internal team have a client concentration program? Aren’t they working for one client?
Just like external agencies often work with a key stakeholder representing one program, many internal teams have multiple clients within the broader organization. When people move out of roles and/or programs are shut down, the team can lose projects just like external agencies.
But wait, how can an in-house creative team have a marketplace positioning problem? Aren’t they operating within and supporting the defined marketplace position of their own company?
In this context, meaningful positioning becomes the currency of relevance. Are you seen by your organization as an expert partner with a seat at the strategy table, or are you seen as a pair of hands to execute on the plans of others?
The former position is rooted in expertise and influence, the latter in cost savings. And as usual, when cost becomes the primary differentiator the risk of being replaced by a cheaper alternative is greater.
Internal creative teams that develop meaningful positioning within their own organizations are more likely to make it through this weather intact and thriving.
#layoffs #creative #marketing #videoproduction
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