Design Agencies as Partners | Marco Loschiavo Pellicano - Part II

This is the second part of my chat with Marco Loschiavo Pellicano, founder of EMME London and a design veteran. From Marco’s LinkedIn profile:Over twenty years of international experience. Passion for brands, design, innovation and people. Creative and strategic thinker driven to inspire and deliver the best creative work to build competitive advantage for some of the worlds biggest brands. These have included, Campari Group, AB InBev, Unilever, L'Oreal, Cargill, Licores de Guatemala, Diageo, Pernod Ricard, Cantine Settesoli, Antinori, LVMH, Bacardi Martini, Sazerac, Carlsberg Group and Heineken International across sectors including beer, wine, liquor, spirits, soft drinks, food, cosmetics and personal care. Experienced in leading a large team and nurturing talent across a wide range of projects on a local, international and global scale covering Europe, Africa, Asia and the Americas.Known for building strong strategic relationships with senior stakeholders and delivering growth across a portfolio of accounts. Full accountability for marketing strategy, innovation, global business development, commercial negotiations and budget management. Italian. Multilingual (Italian, English, Spanish, French and Portuguese). Based in London, UK, since 2006.In this episode, Marco emphasizes the importance of clarity and realistic expectations in client briefs, advises against vague descriptors like 'modern' and 'sexy,' and stresses open communication about budgets and timelines. The discussion also touches on the relevance of building solid and empathetic relationships with clients for effective collaborations. Marco discusses his criteria for accepting projects, which include business viability and the potential for glory, and explains the importance of avoiding free pitches. He shares a success story of repositioning a major brand and highlights the need for practical insights into strategy. Marco also discusses the significance of friendly client interactions, the challenges of delivering creative work, and methods of measuring design effectiveness through sales performance and industry awards. Real-life case studies are recommended for explaining design concepts to clients unfamiliar with marketing and design.In this Episode:00:00 Introduction 00:56 Understanding Client Expectations 03:41 The Importance of Realistic Timelines 05:14 Navigating Competitive Pitches 08:06 When to Say No to a Client 10:55 Building Effective Client Relationships 13:01 Trends and Market Adaptation 14:54 Creating a Strong Brief 18:34 When to Fire Your Agency 22:36 Measuring Design Effectiveness 28:27 Guidance for Non-Marketing Clients 31:42 Conclusion and Final ThoughtsThank you for reading Growth, Brands, and More. This post is public, so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.filibertoamati.com/subscribe