This year, Barkers emerged as an agency strong on genuine
creativity, with clients praising the agency for its responsiveness to
their needs and for its solid links with their target media. Making no
bones about it, one client claimed Barkers was ’certainly the best
agency I’ve been involved with’, and another said ’I like their
creativity and relationship of the team with ourselves’.
Its ratings were only let down by its credentials score. It could have
improved its performance in the quality section if it made use of
external media evaluation systems - although on the plus side, the
agency does use a fair spread of internal evaluation techniques.
The agency fared better in the client assessment section with solid
scores and a few real gems. Clients were particularly impressed with its
quality of dialogue and the chemistry they enjoy with the agency
although, like many other agencies, the quality of writing failed to
impress.
Barkers did impress, however, with its ability to meet deadlines and
keep promises and also scored highly on its influence with opinion
formers and its quality of media coverage.
Barkers also emerged as an agency active in promoting itself, and
benefits from a dedicated marketing member of staff.
Star Rating ***
AGENCY CREDENTIALS
MARK OUT OF
Business performance 5 12
Staff 7 10
Infrastructure 5 5
Quality controls 5 10
Industry recognition 1 3
Total 23 40
CLIENT ASSESSMENT
MARK OUT OF
Pitch promises 7 10
Relationship with agency 9 10
Nuts and bolts 8 10
Evaluation 8 10
Client satisfaction 16 20
Total 48 60
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