What? An ad agency doesn't want my business?

Chuck Nyren is a savvy copywriter who believes that many advertising agencies are missing the boat by not employing baby boomer copywriters and designers at their agencies. However, he also lays some of the onus for making sure that advertisements are age-appropriate at the doorstep of the client. While he encourages clients to consider the services of small-to-medium-sized agencies, he says there are some reasons why these agencies may not accept a client. These are just some of the insights you will find in Chuck's book, Advertising to Baby Boomers.

In most cases, small-to-medium-sized advertising agencies want you as a client. Some good reasons why they may not accept you:

• If a conflict of interest exists, (an account with a product or
service similar to yours) an ethical agency will not handle
you. However, because they are small or mid-sized, the
chance of this is slim.

• In good times, some smaller agencies overextend themselves.
Rarely do they turn away business, but it does happen.

• Some agencies do not like to handle products they believe
to be harmful. A few might not handle liquor, wine, or
beer. Others are environmentally conscious.

• Agencies often turn down political campaigns for (you
guessed it) political reasons, or because they do not want to
alienate their clients. (If you were a Republican, would you
be thrilled about your agency handling a Democratic
campaign? And vice-versa.)

• More often than not, small to mid-sized agency owners are
very involved with their clients. Some only want to handle
a manageable number of accounts. Give them credit for
honesty and integrity.

• A few agencies think of themselves as specialists. For
example, some agencies specialize in the health industry.
They may handle a few non-health, but related products and
services (for example, insurance). But if you walk in with a
revolutionary new egg beater or a reversible, edible necktie,
they might just tell you,“We don’t really know much about
this type of product, don’t know how to advertise and brand
it, so you would be better off with another agency.” Again,
give them credit for honesty and integrity.

Two queasy reasons why they may not want you for a client:

• An agency might consider your company or product or
service unworthy to be in their stable. Every industry has
snooty companies.

• Related to the above, they may not want to handle a specific target market
because they believe it will reflect poorly on their agency.
Along with Baby Boomers and their elders, some agencies do not want to target ethnic groups, religious groups, or certain economic groups.