6 Agency Lies Exposed: The Truth Behind What Marketing Firms Really Promise

When Client Relations Get Murky

When it comes to client relations, truth sometimes gets a little... lost in the mix. George Sanders at Fox Agency reveals some of the common porky pies agencies might tell their clients, and the real reasons why they tell them.

What Mad Men did for making day-drinking look cool again, it has also done for making agencies seem disingenuous, amoral, and a bit gross. Meaning brand marketers are struggling to trust agencies, conscious that in the race for new business and retention, what are they prepared to promise?

How much of what they say is real and what is pure Type-2 Liarbetes? An XL whopper meal with extra lies? Below are some of the common lies to help brand marketers spot the red flags, understand why agencies might lie, and realize the role that brand marketers themselves can play in preventing these.

"Of course, this is the agency team you'll be working with."

The A-team dazzles during the pitch, then disappears once the work begins, leaving sweaty, scared-looking juniors in their place.

So, why lie?

Agency selection processes are performative. Senior teams are put up front to provide depth and detail, because prospects want to be reassured, but their role will rarely be more than direction and support (as it should be).

Marketers need to clarify their expectations: ask for the 'doing' team to be included in the process, specify level of involvement from seniors, and create contractual accountability through the scope of work.

Also, be mindful of your selection process length; the time between choosing an agency and beginning work can be extensive, and team members may get pulled into other projects in the meantime. Be clear on your expectations, but be mindful of the realities.

"Yes, we have experience in your sector."

Agencies can get creative with some wonderfully tenuous links.

So, why lie?

Brand marketers and their stakeholders are obsessed with industry experience. "But we're in a heavily regulated industry" or "we deal with very complex products" often justify the need for 'specific industry experience'. All industries do have their own nuances, but at a strategic level, marketing challenges remain painfully similar.

Brands obsessed with 'finding the same' as others have will end up with 'more of the same,' which is unlikely to cut through the noise in crowded markets where brands are willing to do things differently. It also completely misses the opportunities that come with cross-pollination across industries. Isolation rarely breeds innovation.

Instead, evaluate agencies as much on the quality of their work and approach, not just their client list.

"Our CEO will remain closely involved."

If you genuinely think the CEO will remain closely involved – sorry, that's on you...

So, why lie?

It's just a thing people say. Like "Have a great day," or "Say hi to your mum for me". Where some marketers want high-touch senior involvement, the question you need to ask is: are you prepared to pay for it? Most aren't. Like with any service, you're not just paying for their time spent – you're paying for the years they've taken to get there.

"We have a unique methodology."

Too many agencies claim a proprietary methodology to how they work – usually, it's a pithy yet ghastly acronym like SPRNT or 1LUV or something equally revolting. And it's mostly all rubbish. There's already a 'right' way of doing things, in the same way that no one's reinvented how to bake a cake. A 'unique method' is usually just a cute reframing of the standard approach.

So, why lie?

The first reason is simply that too many RFPs specifically ask for it. Second, it's positioning: claiming something 'unique' helps agencies tell a better story around innovative practices to justify higher fees, especially where brand marketers struggle to foster innovation within their own business and teams.

Some methods and processes may be genuinely unique (unlikely), but the harder agencies try to push their originality, the more cautious you should be of its value.

"We don't use freelancers."

When both parties have invested so much in the agency selection process, is it right if people involved aren't part of the agency?

So, why lie?

Agencies use freelancers for the same reasons brands use agencies: resource flexibility and specialist expertise. Most agencies can't predict how busy their clients will be and often rely on freelancers to deal with swells in demand, crucially preventing them from having to say 'no' to clients (the silent killer – along with passive smoking, of course).

Good agencies should be transparent, but also proud of the freelancer support they have and use. The best freelancers work with the best agencies, and the best agencies understand how to flex with capacity and bring along the right tool for the job.

"You're our priority."

Agencies often pay lip service to keep their clients sweet.

So, why lie?

The reality is that not everyone gets to be the priority every day. Where marketers might feel deprioritized, they should ask questions: has the agency made promises they are no longer fulfilling? Have I been clear with my expectations on quality, team, etc? What does 'feeling like a priority' mean to me? Am I behaving like a client worth prioritizing?

It's easy to be a priority client – and it's not about having the biggest budgets. Instead, it's about being clear with your objectives through written briefs and regular catch-ups. Be honest about your ambitions and challenges; invite the agency into what those pains are and use their experience to help you find solutions. And be empathetic to the reality of a partnership – work as partners against the problems together.

The truth? There's a power imbalance between brands and agencies that's all too encouraging of bad behavior. But, as with anything, honesty really is the best policy – and those who engage with transparency and vulnerability will be the ones who find their true partners.