Early responses indicate growing importance of agency scope in South Africa

One month into the fieldwork for the 2017 edition of agency Scope, the bi annual study conducted by international research consultancy SCOPEN, indicates that agencies and clients are starting to realise the importance of the study in the South African market.

With face-to-face interviews with marketers being conducted by six researchers across South Africa, and online surveys among agency professionals being conducted by SCOPEN analysts in Spain, the responses are looking very positive and significantly higher than in 2016, the test market for the study.

So far, responses to the online survey have been recorded from 84 agency professionals in 57 creative agencies and 49 professionals in 22 media agencies.

Face-to-face interviews with marketers are proceeding at a pace and the target of 240 completed questionnaires by the end of August is in sight.

Comments Johanna McDowell, Director and Partner for SCOPEN Africa and CEO of the IAS (Independent Agency Search & Selection), “This study is hugely important and I am delighted to see that it is gaining the respect of the industry which we can see by the quality of responses to date.  The Scopen team – including our local researchers – are experts in their field and the data that will be produced will be exciting for the whole industry – including marketers.”

Fieldwork is expected to be completed by end August and data will be analysed and assembled in Madrid during September and October, ready to be presented back to the South African agencies early in November 2017.

Cesar Vacchiano, Global CEO for SCOPEN, “The South African industry data is important for local and international agencies and clients.  The comparisons we can draw across the 12 countries where agency Scope is conducted are vital in order to assess global trends and opportunities. WE are looking forward to seeing the results for 2017 and bearing in mind that the next study will only be in two years’ time in 2019, the results will be important guidelines and business blueprints for agencies over the next 18 months.”