Faaez Samadi
Jul 03, 2017

J&J: Agencies still the better option over in-house capability

Global CMO Alison Lewis lists China and India as the two priority markets for growth

J&J: Agencies still the better option over in-house capability

As the debate over the agency-brand relationship continues, Johnson & Johnson’s global CMO Alison Lewis said she believes agencies are still better executors of marketing and advertising services than in-house teams.

Lewis, who spoke to Campaign Asia-Pacific at Cannes Lions 2017, said the topic was highly relevant in today’s industry, and that J&J continues to go back and forth over it.

“We always have the conversation around should we in-source or outsource, and it’s a very important conversation for companies to have,” she explained. “There can be a business case built for in-sourcing, there’s no question – we’ve looked at business cases around in-sourcing content and analytics.”

However, for Lewis, ultimately the rapid development of the advertising and marketing industry, particularly regarding technology, drives her towards agency partners.

“What I find is that the pace of change is such that you have to be careful about in-sourcing too much,” she said. “You have to be really prepared to have an in-sourcing model that can keep up with that pace of change.”

Lewis said the industry was moving so quickly that now, “new disruptors are disrupting the [original] disruptors”.

“How do you keep up with that [as a brand]?” she asked. “So maybe it’s better to let the entrepreneurs out there keep that model going, because I can always buy their services.”

Critically, Lewis added, it is about knowing your core business values and strengths, and J&J’s don’t lie in marketing and advertising services.

“Our core business is not content, or analytics, or primary marketing research,” she said. “So you sit there and you ask ‘is it better to in-source or outsource?”

Lewis also spoke to Campaign about the brand's plans for Asia and its two priority markets for growth. See the video below.

(This article first appeared on www.CampaignAsia.com)

Source:
Campaign India

Related Articles

Just Published

8 hours ago

South Korea fines Meta $15 million over data breach

Meta faces the multi-million dollar penalty for funnelling sensitive user data to advertisers, as South Korea tightens its privacy laws.

8 hours ago

Amazon India launches Creator Central to streamline ...

The platform will roll out to over 50,000 content creators in the Amazon Influencer Program in the coming weeks.

8 hours ago

Phyllis Project: Attempting to rewrite the script ...

The initiative aims to reshape DEI in APAC, empowering women to thrive in advertising through mentorship, community, and practical training.

10 hours ago

Skoda India banks on localised marketing to ...

The automobile company will focus on localisation with a digital-first approach to establish an emotional connection with consumers for the newly launched vehicle.