What happens inside an ad agency during its busiest period?

Ad agencies are like creative beehives, buzzing with activity and collaboration. Teams of account managers, creatives, media planners, and strategists work together, bouncing ideas around and crafting campaigns that hit the mark for clients. But as the festive season rolls in as early as August for agencies, they shift into high gear, juggling tighter deadlines and ambitious goals, all while brainstorming innovative ways to capture consumer attention in the midst of the holiday hustle.

Picture this: You’ve submitted the final, final, final draft of a Diwali ad, and just as you’re about to log out and call it a night, the client’s feedback pops up at 11 p.m. “Can we make it more joyful?” they ask. You sip your fifth cup of coffee, roll up your sleeves, and dive back in, ready to turn that chaotic moment into creative gold! 

It's an Olympic event for ad agencies with hurdles and relay races, transforming every deadline into a high-stakes sprint.

This year, some may agree that the intensity has escalated, largely due to a shift in advertising operations.

Rahul Vengalil, CEO and Co-Founder, tgthr, highlighted that the advertising landscape has undergone transformation. He said, “In the past, when the majority of budgets were allocated to traditional media like print and television, planning was always done well in advance.” 

With the rise of aggressive digital-first startups, the planning pace has become more agile, leading to quicker turnaround times. Vengalil said, “These faster turnaround times during the festive season are the biggest pressure points for advertising agencies.”

Abhishek Kumar, Brand Strategist at Talented described the festive season as ‘advertising's peak rush hour – chaotic, competitive, and crucial’. 

In this high-pressure environment, teams juggle everyday tasks alongside campaign executions, creating a blend of urgency and excitement that fuels their creative spirits.

An Account Supervisor at a mid-size digital agency explained the intense pressure of time-sensitive promotions and limited-time offers. She said, “Deadlines get crazy tight, often shrinking to just 24-48 hours. We usually start our days around 7:30 to 8 a.m. and put in 10-12 hours a day. Even working on weekends becomes necessary to monitor campaign performance, handle urgent queries, and prep for the upcoming week.”

Navigating uncertain markets

While ad agencies are pulling all-nighters to meet client deadlines, the market sentiment seems low and might lead to a slump in business goals.

Vengalil pointed out that the first quarter of this financial year saw a flurry of major events, including elections, the IPL, the T20 World Cup, and the Olympics. As a result, a significant portion of advertising budgets was allocated to these high-profile occasions.

He emphasised the challenges posed by external factors such as geopolitical events, including ongoing conflicts and possibly pending war in the Israel-Iran-Palestine situation, and economic uncertainties stemming from inflation and upcoming U.S. elections. 

He shared that each of these elements could significantly impact the broader market landscape, potentially leading to price increases, job losses, and further inflation. 

There is a certain uncertainty in the market for a lot of categories. Diwali may not be as rosy as we thought it would be. I feel that this festive season, we might not surpass any of the previous records we have.

-Rahul Vengalil

As Vengalil pointed out, the uncertainties stemming from geopolitical tensions and economic fluctuations create a precarious environment for advertising agencies. 

Reports indicate that digital ad spending in India, which soared by 30% in 2019, saw a significant slowdown, declining to just 15% by 2023, highlighting how external factors can lead to fluctuating ad budgets, forcing brands to reassess their strategies. 

Rupali Chavan, Senior VP at Mudramax shared, “Fluctuating ad spends, especially during peak festive periods, have a direct impact on our media strategy. Since the ad spends can surge during the festive period, we often allocate a flexible portion of the budget which allows us to reallocate the budgets to the channels/platforms which are performing well. With increased spending, there is a risk of ad fatigue and capping the frequency ensures audience burnout to creative content.”

Racing for the prime slots

Despite the challenges, the festive season is a canvas where creativity meets strategy, with brands racing to capture consumer attention. 

Capturing this sentiment, Kumar stated, “Brands clamour for attention, vying for Top of Mind (TOM) awareness and recall through creativity and the usual pull at audiences' heartstrings.”

Similarly, Chavan echoed this notion of competition, shedding light on the mounting media demands placed on agencies during this time. She noted, “Clients are generally more demanding when it comes to securing prime spots and placements during the festive season because festive season is a peak period for sales, and brands from all industries aggressively compete for consumer attention.”

Furthermore, Kumar emphasised the dual focus of this critical period: blending brand-building efforts with the urgency of revenue-driven goals, highlighting that the festive season not only sparks creativity but also drives sales.

Chavan explained, “Clients know that securing prime ad placements, whether on social media, search engines, or prime-time TV slots, can have a huge impact on their success. As a result, they push for the most prominent spots that will maximise visibility and conversions, particularly during key shopping days.”

With hearts to win and wallets to entice, this season is like a grand carnival where the most eye-catching acts grab the attention and the biggest sales.

Dim briefs, sparkling expectations!

In the midst of all this creative and media struggle, one of the most challenging aspects of the festive season for agencies is decoding vague briefs that come with sky-high expectations. While brands are buzzing with excitement to make a strong impact, many of these briefs are about as clear as a foggy Diwali night, leaving creatives to figure out how to craft campaigns that truly shine amidst the festive chaos.

Ayden, Sr. Copywriter, dentsu creative, shared their experiences with briefs that are often a mix between ‘do something nice’ and ‘own the festive space.’ They added, “Briefs are rarely ever detailed for Diwali. But of course, when a brand campaign is tied to the festivities, there are pages full of briefs so that we don’t end up doing exactly what other brands are doing.”

Agencies strive to deliver original concepts while competing against the clutter of familiar ideas.

“Every Diwali season is incomplete with an 80-page deck with the client asking for a good ol’ ‘this Diwali’ line to summarise an idea 42 different brands have already explored,” Ayden added.

As the festive excitement mounts, so do the demands. Brands are eager to launch multiple festive campaigns, leaving little room to breathe and think outside the box. 

The Account Supervisor shed light on the specific client requests that flood in during this hectic season. “We see a lot of demands for boosting ad spend to get more impressions, creating special promo campaigns, and planning social media content calendars,” she shared. “Clients are eager to launch everything from email marketing campaigns to influencer partnerships, and last-minute content creation like videos and blog posts.”

It's like a festive wish list that never ends!

They recalled some of the more amusing briefs she encountered. They shared, “I once had a client request, ‘Can you create a social media campaign featuring our products and offer range? And make it live in just 6 hours?’”

With a mix of disbelief and amusement, they recalled another gem. “And then there was the request to suddenly increase our ad spend by 100%, all in a bid to match a competitor!”

It’s like clients expect agencies to pull off a magic trick while balancing on a tightrope and juggling multiple campaigns all at the same time.

The absence of clear objectives forces agency teams to rely heavily on their interpretations, risking misalignment with client expectations.

Given this climate, Vengalil expressed a preference for long-term relationships with clients. He said, “When clients only come to us for a Diwali or festive campaign, it adds a lot more stress for the agency. There’s often a lack of category understanding and sometimes brand understanding. With significant investments on the line, the chances of things going awry are high. Personally, I’d rather work with clients I have been collaborating with for a while than onboard any new business specifically for the festive season.”

The combination of high expectations and fast-paced execution ensures that agency life during the festive period is anything but dull.

Planning better to survive the madness

During the festive season, the chaos can be overwhelming, but having a well-structured process is vital for agencies to thrive. 

Vengalil emphasised, "Our process doesn’t change for Diwali versus a non-festive campaign. It’s about being cognizant of who’s working on what, with regular planning meetings to keep everyone aligned." 

Ayden highlighted the importance of meticulous planning. They said, "Surviving the festive season requires just one thing: good planning. Getting everything approved at the right time ensures a ‘no changes’ festive season." Their advice to the creative and servicing teams is to set aside their everyday brawls, urging them to "make sure everything’s planned to the T."

Chavan shared that ‘survival fuel’ comes from a combination of strategies that help maintain productivity, focus, and energy. For her, prioritisation and time management become crucial during this period. She noted, “Drawing lessons from what worked (and didn’t work) in previous festive seasons saves time and stress.” 

The Account Supervisor emphasised the importance of proper planning. They said, "There’s so much competition, and if we rush campaigns without proper planning, skip testing, or make last-minute changes, it can really affect the results.”

As Diwali approaches, ad agencies may find themselves in the thick of a thrilling yet demanding race. With high expectations, tight deadlines, and an ever-evolving landscape, creativity must intertwine with strategy to create impactful campaigns. 

The challenges of deciphering vague briefs, managing fluctuating budgets, and navigating market uncertainties can make this period feel like an Olympic event for agencies. Yet, the drive to capture consumer attention fuels their efforts, turning every chaotic moment into a spark of creativity.

Ultimately, thriving during this bustling time requires a blend of agility, resilience, and a sprinkle of festive spirit to transform challenges into opportunities for memorable storytelling.

As agencies dive into the upcoming Diwali season, one thing is clear: amidst the chaos, the creative fireworks will continue to shine bright!