Agency Source

We're proud to share the incredible winners of the inaugural Alliance of Independent Representatives Spot in a Pocket! Challenge.

The recipients were evaluated for boundary-breaking storytelling, art direction, and production value in any style or genre of 30-second spot. Thank you again to the esteemed judges Molly Mitchell, Executive Producer at IDENTITY; Donald O'Connor, Executive Producer at Compulsive Pictures; and Chinkhara Singh, Head of Production at Area 23.

Grand Prize Winner: Oscar-nominated filmmaker Courtney Marsh for “Life of a Thermometer”.

First Runner-Up: “Scary Clean” by Staci Talley

Second Runner-Up: “Case of the Scarlet Ledger” by David Bradburn

Finalists:

• Utsab Giri
• Sandy Morris
• Esteban Pava & Jerome Lehoucq
• Emily Gurland & Kasey Oldford

The Grand Prize winner receives a six-month subscription to Agency Source, among others.

Veronica Lombardo, owner of VLM, and Ross MacRae, founder at Agency Source, reflect on a decade of shifting sales strategies, the rise of smart data, and how reps are redefining their role in advertising

"For many in the industry, “sales” is sometimes seen as something to be avoided at all costs. Some reps, production companies and agencies think the work alone is enough. They believe that having their reels online should make the phone ring. But it doesn't. Counterintuitively, for those working in advertising, many don't market their own services very effectively, and that does come at a cost."

All that and more on LBB below.

Read the full article here

Photo Archive News caught up with Ross MacRae, founder of Agency Source and BikiniLists, to talk about the latest trends in brand outreach and how photographers and production companies can sharpen their marketing strategies going into Q4.

PAN: Ross, why do we need to concentrate on marketing to brand contacts at the moment?

RM: Over the last 5 years or so – we’ve seen more and more production people moving from traditional advertising agencies to “Brand-side”. Plus more brands are setting up “in-house agencies” within their organisation to look after content production on everything from web promos to full tv campaigns… In fact, after covid, we saw the demand, and therefore the contacts numbers, on our direct brand dataset overtake the numbers on our ad agency lists.

Read the full article here

Marci Selsberg, owner, BLAH! Blah? (Blah…), and Ross MacRae, founder of Agency Source, reflect on the evolving landscape of advertising, trust, and human connection

Marci and Ross reflect in a joint interview on what advertising and the sales industry has gained and lost since entering the "remote era" and where we go from here.

They talk about how to build relationships, collaborate better, and network in the most authentic ways that drive real results.

All that and more on LBB below.

Read the full article here

Marketer of the Day Podcast 

If you've ever wondered how to turn industry changes into opportunities for growth, this is a must-listen.

Following on from the success of the recent "Crossing the Axis" Podcast, our CEO Ross MacRae sits down this time around with Robert Plank on the "Marketer of the Day" podcast.

Ross and Robert look at:

• How to leverage downtime for networking
• The importance of focusing on dream clients
• Insights on the production landscape
• How Agency Source helps you connect with key decision-makers

Don't miss this chance to transform your approach to business development in these uncertain times. Click below to listen now.

Cold Outreach Best Practices with Ross MacRae. 

At Agency Source, we define sales as "helping people make the decision that benefits them". We don't give them something they don't need or want. I sat down with James Keblas on the Crossing the Axis podcast on how to navigate the first step toward these important conversations: the intimidating cold outreach.

Forging new client relationships is what keeps the business alive, and relationships are the most important part. James and I swap perspectives on what's effective, what falls flat, and the tactics worth steering clear of.

Hear my lessons learned (and some strong opinions) spanning 30+ years of sales experience:

Connect with Key Automotive Marketing Contacts at Your Dream Clients. 

What You Get?

• 24/7 unlimited access to Verified & Updated Contacts: Access the latest, high-quality contact lists of automotive marketing leaders
• Targeted Outreach: Search by Brand, City & Job Title
• Industry-Specific Lists: Our curated lists are tailored for Automotive Brands, perfect for Agencies seeking new Automotive Clients
• Save time and effort: Intuitive search tools make your life easy
• Research on Demand: Let us find specific automotive contacts for you if we don't already have them!

Who You Can Reach

• Chief Marketing Officers (CMOs) & Marketing Directors: Guide strategic marketing efforts for top automotive brands
• Brand & Product Managers: Control brand reputation and product marketing for leading car makers
• Digital Marketing & Advertising Managers: Specialists in digital campaigns, media planning, and advertising strategies
• Top Automotive Marketing Executives: High-level executives responsible for advertising budgets and creative direction
• PR & Communication Heads: Enhance reputation management and brand communication for automotive clients

Find out more: agencysource.tv/automotive

Agency Source launches new series, Selling Stories, with LBB.

Selling Stories: How Ross MacRae Turned Frustration Into a Data-Driven Revolution

Agency Source's new series, Selling Stories, brings together Ross MacRae and some of the industry’s most respected advertising and production reps to explore how the sales and management industry has evolved over their careers—and why accurate data is now more vital than ever.

The series opens with Carolyn Hill, founder of Carolyn Reps, who shares her perspective on data collection, shifts in the advertising business, and career progress.

Read the full article here

The Alliance of Independent Representatives (AIR) – a 501(c)6 trade organization – has new members from the Association of Directors Agents (ADA). John Spary of JSA, and Scott Pugnetti of Equals MGMT, both based in London, have joined AIR, linking across the Pond shared core values, best practices and industry support.

AIR President Ann Asprodites, owner of Asprodites Reps, says “We've long valued the friendships and perspectives from John and Scott and their input has helped further the expansion of AIR. Including UK and European members gives a fresh perspective, and we can grow and evolve as the industry changes.”

Collaboration in the advertising industry is essential, but the relationship between brands, agencies, and production companies appears disconnected. Despite depending on each other to create campaigns, no one seems aligned on what they need to do, especially heading into 2025.

Ross MacRae, founder of Agency Source explains why success in 2025 demands honesty, transparency, and accountability from brands, agencies, and production companies alike.

Read the full article here

Carolyn Hill, Executive Content Agent at Carolyn Reps tells us why she loves Agency Source. 

"Agency Source is an invaluable tool to track people moves at Agencies and internal teams at Brands.

It's not enough to rely on online tools like LinkedIn alone. I need Agency Source to track who works where and what they are working on.

My daily business development tasks depend on the research gathered by the Pros at Agency Source."

Navigating Uncertainty: Why Now Is the Time for Agencies to Lean In, Not Hunker Down. 

Change is the only constant. In times of economic uncertainty, it's understandable that businesses would play defense; reduce spending and focus solely on what’s directly in front of them.

What they need to do is the opposite. Fortify your business with even more outreach. Tap into trusted relationships, partner with others to achieve shared goals, and don't stop networking.

Ross talks more about how Advertising Agencies and Brands can navigate uncertainty by leaning in with LBBonline

Read the full article here

New territories, more brands, more clients... 

Book your free demo here.

There's a lot going on in the industry right now and we've been busy keeping ahead of all the moves and updates.

Middle East Lists Live

Get instant access to Producers, Creative Directors, Art Directors, and more at top agencies in this exciting market. Dubai and Saudi Arabia...

Even More Brands

Our UK Direct-to-Brand contacts now outnumbers our Ad Agency list. Go direct to over 7,000 brand managers and marketing teams at top UK companies.

More UK Clients

The only constant is change. We checked over 19,000 contacts in the last 12 months and grew the lists to over 26,000 contacts this year.

Agency Source's director of sales, Steph, chats to LBB about the value of keeping calm and carrying on when things don't go according to plan, as part of LBB's "My Biggest Lesson" series.

 "It's only a bit of water" and "It's only a bit of wood" are the two phrases I've carried with me my whole career. Things break, plans go awry, and accidents happen, but it's how you process it and carry on that matters. When shit really hits the fan, those end up being the days you remember, so, "Up you go, kiddo".

It was the summer of 2000, I had just finished school at 18, and wasn't sure where life would take me next. Rather than sit around waiting to decide on a college course, I took a job at my uncle Alex's wacky new project: a waterbus service on the River Clyde in Glasgow! There are two particular incidents from this adventure that I remember as if they were yesterday. The feelings at the time, and lessons learned, have stuck with me.

Full article here

Kieran at the CEPIC Congress this week.

 Sponsored by: BikiniLists & PICSEL | Network Speed Dating : The perfect opportunity to pitch your business in quick, structured conversations. .

Kieran was there representing Bikini and showcasing AgencySource.tv to CEPIC delegates. Sounds like this first speed-dating event was a great success... looking forward to catching up with all the new connections Kieran made over the 3 days. See you all next year.Visit the CEPIC site for more info...

Great event in London yesterday... Production Unplugged.

 Production Unplugged is a new networking event designed to break down silos and get brands closer to production companies.

Bringing together over 400 industry leaders, marketers, and production experts for a full day of networking, knowledge-sharing, and creative collaboration. This is the start of something big — a shift in how brands and production companies work together, ensuring better partnerships, smoother workflows, and more groundbreaking creative output. Visit the site for more...

How Agency Creatives Should K-I-T When Colleagues Move Brand-Side

 By Ross MacRae, CEO, AgencySource.

Keeping in touch (KIT) with former colleagues is a great practice for any marketer, as success in advertising is often based on not only what you know, but who you know.

Within the last five years or so, many brands began setting up in-house production teams, and a growing number of former advertising agency producers and creatives are moving brand-side as a result. Doing business with a person you once worked alongside is a decided leg up in any client dynamic, and most agency folks would welcome the chance to collaborate with a former colleague. Full article here

Stephen Gilmour Announced as Director of Sales and Marketing

 We are proud to announce Stephen Gilmour as Director of Sales and Marketing.

Stephen applies his 15 years of sales expertise to the Agency Source platform and manages an international team responsible for scaling global sales distribution.

“At Agency Source, I always aim to enhance collaboration and synergy between our European and American sales teams, fostering a unified approach to drive revenue growth. I look forward to helping build a stronger, more cohesive sales network as we expand our database and, in turn, our client base.”

Agency Source founder Ross MacRae added, “Stephen has been with the business for over 15 years and is an invaluable member of the team. He has demonstrated his innovative skills and has been a catalyst in the creation and launch of our new websites and marketing strategies. I know he’ll continue to drive our success and help us to help our members thrive.”