A longitudinal analysis of the ad agency-client relationship

A longitudinal study of advertising decision-makers was designed to identify key predictors of an agency switch. Discriminant analysis revealed a key set of 6 predictor variables that discriminate between advertising decision-makers who change agencies and those who do not. Unlike previous studies, this one finds that higher satisfaction with creative skills is a significant predictor of agency change. The existence is suggested of distinct stages of development in the agency-client relationship in which an initial focus on creative potential shifts to a focus on performance and service skills.