Local Know-How Is Your Agency's Secret Weapon

Customization has been the buzzword in marketing for years. But there's no amount of data that will make a creative in New York able to speak relatably to consumers in Minnesota. This moment calls for some professional soul-searching: If the industry aims to be customer-centric, why are we purchasing media in an agency-centric way? Your agency may have access to extensive resources and research tools, but that perceived advantage can become moot in the absence of tangible local market insights. To be truly competitive, agencies must expand teams to include local talent who live and breathe the markets they serve, empowering them to be significantly better at their jobs and dramatically enhancing the return on investment for your clients' media spend. This matters significantly, given that U.S. advertisers will spend $157.1 billion on local ads this year, up 4.4% from last year. Community insights Here’s the difference maker: The value of local knowledge extends beyond mere statistics. It encompasses an intuitive grasp of regional cultural nuances, consumer behavior, and emerging trends that can significantly impact campaign effectiveness. Local experts provide insights into community preferences, regional sensitivities, and even media consumption patterns that are often overlooked by teams operating from afar. Take, for instance, our recent “Cancel the Quit” campaign for Toyota focused on Olympic athletes who live, work, or attend school in Northern California. Our media team, based out of that location, developed Toyota’s branded film spots and then strategically and successfully placed them in front of Toyota’s target audiences in that area. The results were significant: We boosted NorCal Toyota's consideration metric by 5 percentage points in just three years. On-the-ground relationships Let us consider an agency with a team based in Atlanta that’s working on a campaign targeted at Atlantans. These marketers not only understand the city’s unique attributes and idiosyncrasies, but they also come with established relationships with, say, local outlets and influencers. These robust connections lead to better advertising rates (yes, even better than volume discounts and rate breaks) and more impactful media placements—not to mention brand loyalty and positive consumer perceptions—because they garner trust by demonstrating a genuine commitment to the Atlanta market. Why? It feels authentic. While local broadcast partnerships typically gain the most from this type of structure, digital expertise may also benefit. Agency-wide spending at a network level can ensure that local markets receive the customization needed across search, social, and programmatic, including CTV. So, here is your to-do list: Invest in local ad-media talent who are inquisitive and approachable. Task them with exploring and finding local insights. Ask them to forge valuable, on-the-ground relationships. Use the above intel to resist trends and universal stats, and instead think locally. Make shifts in brand awareness and sentiments part of your KPI spread. Cheesy as it may sound, this all adds up to a human touch often missing in centralized media buying, which is crucial in creating campaigns that resonate meaningfully with local audiences. Consumers want—and are starting to expect—brands to not only understand their individual preferences but also acknowledge local context. This is especially true in our current economic climate, where inflation and job uncertainty make anyone think thrice before investing in a product or experience. To put that in broader terms, localized marketing can collectively help brands unlock $54.1 billion in revenue every year—with emphasis on the word “can.” That is a significant sum, and agencies must come with the expectation that they have to find strategic ways to work for it.

Voice

Local Know-How Is Your Agency's Secret Weapon

In a consumer-centric world, stop buying media in agency-centric ways

Michael Ramirez

About

Subscriptions

Events

Publications

WORK SMARTER - LEARN, GROW AND BE INSPIRED.

Subscribe today!

Michael Ramirez