13 February 2020 – The independent marketing and communication agency Connexia loves to drive change – rather than face it passively.

And, in a world like that of Communication, where everything is constantly in flux, it’s worth keeping up with the times and investigating the only thing that is – seemingly – unchangeable: the client-agency engagement process.

Channels, creativity, audiences, agency models, media consumption: everything has been turned upside down in the digital era. New and different ways of marketing and communicating are rapidly emerging and establishing themselves: if they want to remain relevant, brands must – and have had to – deal with these.

And yet there is one thing – just one – that hasn’t changed a bit: the client-agency relationship, which has remained constant since the days of Mad Men. Especially if we consider the dynamics of engagement.

Can you really stand still?

“We have always remained mindful of the subject of tenders”,  comments Paolo d’Ammassa, CEO & Founding Partner of Connexia. “Often, however, there is still a lack of awareness and transparency regarding their use.”
Because of this, for Valentine’s Day, we decided to present Solometro to brands and agencies, as a gift that will make them smile but also reflect.”

Responding to ten questions, brands can check how the pitch they have made or will be making will be perceived by agencies. In turn, agencies receive an indication of the level of spuriousness of the tenders that have been submitted.

“The Solometro encapsulates 20 years of direct experience of love or hate for the concept of tenders“, d’Ammassa continues. “The tool was designed with the aim of identifying true love between clients and agencies, in the shortest time possible, that will last over time, without turning into a brief fling.”

A provocative game that has a serious and important aim: are we still sure that even after 70 years of honoured service, the tender is still the most effective tool for client-agency engagement?

The Solometro is a playful tool that Connexia is offering the market – a cue that should make people stop and consider new ways of engagement and interaction, such as agile workshops for example, to make the client-agency relationship more effective and enduring over time.”