2010 proved to be another challenging year for the UK economy as the recession took hold, but I am delighted to report that Red C continued to defy the gloom, posting another year of sales and profit growth. With a strong second half year, driven by a number of significant client wins, the agency grew sales beyond £3m for the first time in recent years, an increase of 13%. Pre-tax profits also grew very satisfactorily, up 54% to £181k, as the senior management continued to maintain pressure on overheads in uncertain economic conditions.
Our two major new client wins from last year, Hoseasons
I don’t believe in the ‘lapdog mentality’ that pervades many agencies. Agencies that tell clients what they want to hear. The role of a good agency is to ‘stand outside’ the client environment, get under the skin of the customers and the products, and make recommendations that will improve commercial performance.
I am convinced that the best model for a marketing agency combines creative excellence with strategic nous in equal measure. Pragmatic, approachable and commercially savvy, Red C has grown into a client focused agency that concentrates first on delivering business growth and profits for its clients, and I am intensely proud of this.
What I love most about working at Red C is the chance to ‘walk a mile in the customer’s shoes’. I think it’s vital that creative briefs are informed by genuine and deep understanding of the target audience, and running dozens of eye-tracking projects has helped me to gain some unrivalled insights into how consumers and business-people react, instinctively, when presented with advertising and marketing.
I always encourage my team to understand the customer touchpoints. We study customer traffic flows, work with sales teams and delve into the client data. I believe that this is what makes Red C special as an agency partner. It’s also what makes my job so varied and enjoyable.
I’m a great believer in empathy and human truths… simply because they allow us to put an arm round the person or people we are communicating with. Show understanding and empathy with a person and they are more likely to become your friend, listen to what you have to say and ultimately purchase from you.
This approach is used with every piece of Red C work… whether that be a letter or an email to a Radio or DRTV ad. Our rewards come from the knowledge we have upped our clients sales… and if we pick up some industry awards along the way, well that is just a bonus!