Agency Challenges Traditional Advertising Model

For immediate release
19 August 2008

Running With Scissors Challenges Traditional Advertising Model

It used to be something you were warned never to do. Now Running with Scissors has opened its doors as a new advertising agency promising an unconventional approach to traditional agency processes.

Advertising directors Friday O’Flaherty and Andy Mitchell started the new company following their departure from recently closed agency WRC.

O’Flaherty says Running with Scissors challenges the way others work.

“Advertising agencies claim to be innovative and creative – the reality is they have changed very little in the last 50 years. It will take a different kind of agency to provide truly innovative solutions for clients, and that’s why we established three key principles that set Running with Scissors apart,” says O’Flaherty.

For a start, the agency has overturned the traditional in house creative format.

“The belief that a good idea can come from anywhere is at the heart of our approach,” he says.

“For the initial stages of idea generation, we assemble creative minds from all walks of life and push their thinking with expert facilitators and lateral thinking tools. From musicians to artists and students to scientists, we generate a greater range of fresh innovative solutions by bringing a varied group together, uninhibited by current advertising and marketing thinking.”

O’Flaherty says the agency will also look beyond the traditional when considering the best solutions for clients.

“Lots of agencies talk about being non-traditional or fully integrated. But if you give them a problem, they’ll give you an ad. We are committed to breaking through the norm to deliver the best idea, no matter what discipline it’s founded in,” he says.

“If we’ve explored all the alternatives and the best solution is an ad, then we’ll make an ad. If the right solution is PR, direct marketing, or any other form of marketing communications, we’ll do that as well. But if there’s a better solution outside these disciplines, we’ll explore those with our client to create a campaign that’s truly different.”

Mitchell adds that Running with Scissors also looks beyond the traditional campaign format when it delivers integration.

“While traditional agencies will ensure their campaign has a similar look and feel across each type of media, we ensure each piece of activity, whether its advertising our not, delivers a specific action. Over time, all the activity combines to realise the business objective.”

Mitchell says the Running with Scissors model is flexible to suit marketing requirements.

“Running with Scissors can form part of or the entire marketing arsenal. Marketers can choose to employ Running with Scissors as their sole partner or as part of the mix to complement any existing agencies.”

Running with Scissors is located in Unit 22, 8-14 Madden Street in Auckland’s Viaduct.

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