Client considerations.

The 2026 ‘What Clients Think’ report’s findings are drawn from 700 client interviews conducted on behalf of creative agencies. Nearly half the clients interviewed believe that marketing is generally undervalued by the most senior figures in their organisation, while 63% of clients agree that ‘brand’ is not widely understood and lived within their organisation. They struggle to illustrate how important the marketing and design functions are to the business. For agencies, this can be a golden opportunity. How can you support your client’s design and marketing functions while you work with them, and with the finished product?

Consider:

• How can I better help my contact explain the work internally to their colleagues?
• What can I do to make my internal client feel empowered within the organisation?
• How can I help elevate the standing of design and marketing?

This final point is rooted in design effectiveness and the alignment of the work and its impact to business goals. Ensure you are asking what the business objectives of the work are at the start of the project so all decisions align, and can be measured, against those goals.

One key thing clients say they wish their agencies knew more about is the internal pressures and realities of their business. Agencies need to understand internal stakeholder hierarchy, battles for budget allocation and sign-off processes. A ‘quick request for approval’ for instance, could rub someone up the wrong way if the process takes a week in reality. Don’t be afraid to ask the questions – if you understand the inner workings of the client’s business, you can plan accordingly. 

More discussion, less presentation.

63% of clients would prefer a meeting based largely on discussion and questions than a ‘new business presentation’. Case studies need to be relevant and more of a two-way interaction is valued – a discussion of the issues in which you can ask probing questions, voice your opinions and illustrate your expertise in the area. And if you can demonstrate the commercial effectiveness of your design work, that’s persuasive.

Many clients claim that the internal focus on ROI and effectiveness is more intense than 2-3 years ago – but they also think it is difficult to measure. Agencies can help the client develop a framework to measure success in each project and give the client the ammunition they need to increase internal perception of the value of design. The impact design can have on business goals can be tracked. The DBA can help members develop the skills to set these frameworks by asking the right questions at the start of the brief, to put the right measurements in place.

Be more assertive with your clients.

64% of clients said their agency could be ‘more assertive’ or tougher with them. They value push back at the right time (caveat – sometimes they just want something done, quick and dirty. It just needs to get out of the door – these situations need to be acknowledged too). The agency is the expert that has been brought in to help – illustrate that expertise. Give your opinion, be more forceful when you need something, push back with constructive challenge when appropriate, and argue your case, not from a defensive view, but within a business context. As ‘What Clients Think’ report author Jonathan Kirk says, it’s about “taking the pressure off clients and instilling confidence that the agency is in full control.”

When being responsive isn't enough.

The fundamental instinct of most agencies is to please their clients. Being super responsive, amenable and friendly are seen as key qualities in the development of successful client/agency relationships.

However, our new ‘What Clients Think’ report reveals that 64% of clients are asking agencies to be ‘more assertive’ or tougher with them. Typical client comments are, ‘They are too eager to say “Yes”. Don’t be so nice to us’ or ‘Don’t be so deferential. Push us harder and hold us to account.’

For many agencies this is a tricky mental shift. Creative agencies are generally great places to work. They usually have relaxed environments, relatively flat structures, and fun cultures. All this is transmitted to clients and they frequently praise agencies around aspects of personal chemistry, the personability and likeability of agency teams. Getting tougher with clients, therefore, is not something that comes naturally. Many agencies are not culturally geared that way.

The client demand for greater assertiveness derives from the pressure that clients are now under. 80% of clients state that in the last two years their resources have decreased, and their internal team is smaller. Budgets are generally static or declining, yet their commercial objectives seem to take no account of that. Clients are simply expected to achieve more with less. Meanwhile, every market seems to be moving at pace, and clients are having to be more reactive. It’s inevitable that some of this pressure is being transferred to agencies and our ‘What Clients Think’ reports have been highlighting these pressures for several years. The difference now, though, is that these pressures are really beginning to bite and expectations of agencies have escalated.

Nowhere is this more apparent than in the area of client service. Clients are rejecting a conventional, slightly passive, ‘responding to client needs’ approach. Traditional notions of ‘account management’ are being replaced by a need for ‘client and project drivers’. In the current environment, clients are asking agencies to be totally ‘on it’, be tougher about deadlines and what they need from clients, anticipate issues or spot problems early, and be confident in their expertise. There is some analysis in the ‘What Clients Think’ premium report* on client/agency meetings, with 45% of clients believing that meetings with their agency ‘could be improved’. One of the factors that clients talk about is the agency not really leading and driving the meeting but expecting the client to take the lead.

It’s all about taking the pressure off clients and instilling confidence that the agency is in full control. When clients are so busy, any feeling that the client is having to ‘manage the agency’ has become an unacceptable negative. That cuts into client time and represents poor value for money.

As well as day to day client service, clients are expecting agencies to be more assertive in the wider client relationship. For instance, 95% of clients appreciate ‘constructive challenge’ from their agency, but 68% of clients are not seeing enough of it (‘What Clients Think’ premium report). It’s easy when things get busy and deadlines loom for agencies to slip into a purely reactive mode. They can be too willing to simply carry out the client’s requests, rather than consistently apply their critical faculties and expertise.

Clients are also asking agencies to be bolder and more forceful in their views. Clients readily admit that agencies have more experience of different brands, markets, challenges and scenarios. They are keen to benefit from that learning but sometimes feel that agencies are not forthcoming enough, or too willing to sit on the fence, as opposed to stating a view.

This extends to recommendations. 67% of clients believe that agencies could be clearer and sharper in their recommendations (‘What Clients Think’ premium report). A number of factors can be at play here. When the Creative Director is asked which concept they recommend and answers, ‘All three concepts would work’, as opposed to giving a clear recommendation with reasons, the client is bound to be underwhelmed. Similarly, agencies can present good thinking and raise important questions and issues, but clients are left confused and not aided in their decision making. The lesson here is, firstly, that agencies need to have a recommendation. The client is expecting the agency to assert their expertise. Secondly, agencies need to make it easier for clients to buy into their recommendation. This involves agencies arguing their point with a clear and compelling rationale and within a sound business context.

Our interviews show that an eager to please attitude, being a likeable bunch, showing responsiveness, and answering the brief will only get you so far. Clients are asking for significantly more drive in day-to-day project management, more boldness in the agency viewpoint, clearer recommendations, and more constructive challenge.

Why agencies need to be clearer and sharper in their recommendations

Access the 2026 'What Clients Think' report and webinar recording

Inspired by the candour of conversations last year, and the energy and passion generated at the inaugural event, The Future of…conference is back for round two.

Are you ready to lead? is the theme that will guide, shape and frame discussions at the event which is running from 11-13 May in Chicago, USA. 

Join the conversation. Share your voice and your experiences.

Become an active part of the movement. 

See who’s speaking. 

Use code TFO4DBA26 for 40% (-$1,000) off the registration fee. 

Find out more and book your place.