Frequently Asked Questions | Macadam Marketing, Montreal
2020-04-06

You probably have a few unanswered questions

General

  • How do I choose an advertising agency?

    Here are the main criteria for choosing an advertising agency:

    1. Determine whether a call for tenders is warranted. The process can be easy if you know which company you want to do business with.
    2. Prepare a brief that outlines your needs, budget, list of required services and key selection criteria (if you choose to go with a call for tenders)
    3. Choose between a by-invitation or an open call for tenders.
    4. Analyze the service offerings submitted by agencies and select your finalists
    5. Meet the agencies and make your final choice

  • Can I ask the agency for strategy and creation services (proposal) without compensation?

    This practice is becoming less and less common and is one that we do not subscribe to in the vast majority of cases. In our industry, the use of speculative work distorts the data and may focus too much on style, to the detriment of evaluation criteria such as the composition of the team, the expertise of its members, the proposed approach, previous achievements, references and the chemistry that developed at meetings, to name but a few.

    To avoid any disappointments on this front, you should also make sure that the team present during the presentation is the one with whom you will work on a daily basis; this way, you’ll avoid being assigned the B team. At Macadam, our A team is always on the ice.

  • How is an agency compensated?

    Several agency compensation models exist, including payment based on campaign metrics, fixed price based on deliverables, commission based on media spending, fees based on revenue generated or incoming prospects, etc.

    At Macadam, we favour a deliverables-based package.

  • Our internal team has good ideas. Why should we do business with an agency like Macadam?

    While we are here to advise you, it is not uncommon to assist our clients in the development of internal marketing ideas. Who is better placed than you to generate an interesting insight about your market, an insight that simply needs to be assessed, challenged and fine-tuned to bring out its full potential or that needs to be shelved if it isn’t up to snuff.

    When you work with Macadam, you benefit from:

    • A fresh and objective perspective
    • Access to cutting-edge expertise of a collaborative team of marketing, communication, creation and production specialists
    • Huge time and money savings so that you can focus your efforts on other priorities

  • Is your service offering flexible?

    Whether you’re an SME, an organization or a large corporation, we will adapt to your needs and your reality.

    For example, some of our clients have few – or no – internal resources to support them. They entrust us with all their communication needs, thereby ensuring that their brand strategy and operations are consistent; they also save time and energy. As such, we are a key ally in achieving their marketing goals.

    Other clients have a small internal marketing team for recurring projects. We work with them to develop specific communication projects that require a high level of branding, web, creative and media skills.

    Finally, we work with clients who have a large internal team and are looking for an innovative approach, a new perspective and fresh ideas.

    Whatever your needs may be, you can count on each of our actions being relevant and useful.

  • Do we need to make a long-term commitment?

    Not necessarily! Although we prefer to establish a long-term relationship with all our clients, some changes in direction may happen on both sides. Therefore, we may, at any time during our business relationship, terminate our agreement. You will be invoiced on a pro rata basis according to the work accomplished.

Brand image

  • Why should I have a branding strategy?

    The brand is unquestionably one of the most valuable marketing assets, no matter the type of company or organization. Not clearly defining your brand, due to lack of time or money, is like letting the market decide your fate.

    By developing your brand strategy, you can:

    • Communicate the uniqueness of your brand’s DNA the right way
    • Differentiate your company from competitors
    • Be easily recognizable to potential clients
    • Communicate with a unified voice and make it easier to attract and retain clients.
    • Mobilize internal teams around a common vision and attract the best talent

  • How long does it take to build a brand?

    Allow between six months and a year to create your brand and communications tools. This timeframe may be longer or shorter, depending on:

    • The size of your company and the number of stakeholders
    • The complexity of your products or services
    • The number of deliverables
    • The number of brand assets to be created
    • The budget you allocate to this mandate
    • Whether or not there is a deadline (launch, event, etc.)

  • What's the difference between a logo and a brand?

    The logo is one part of the great puzzle that is the brand. Although it's an essential and memorable component of a brand, the logo is simply a visual representation of your company.

    A brand is a set of perceptions, ideas and feelings that people have about your company and is built on the strength of hundreds of small actions that help consumers make a choice. It represents the place it occupies in people's minds and hearts.

    The brand manager function has emerged in recent years in response to the multiplicity of platforms and the democratization of content. This person ensures the proper use of the brand in all communications. As Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon, said: “Your brand is what others say about you when you are not in the room.”

Our brand image services

Web

  • Can I redesign my brand image at the same time as my website?

    The short answer is yes. Due to time pressure, you can choose to “update” your company's look and feel during the website redesign process. However, we strongly recommend that you keep brand strategy, visual identity creation and website redesign projects separate for optimal results.

  • Should I provide specifications for the redesign of my website?

    Website specifications are listed in a reference document that you must submit during a call for tenders, or when you have chosen your communication agency. It sets out your goals as well as the technical, aesthetic and functional constraints of your web redesign project. To prevent misunderstandings and confusion, we can advise you and produce these specifications, however large or small your website project is.

  • What budget should I allocate to my website redesign?

    Unfortunately, no easy answer to this question exists. Here are some things to consider that may have an impact on the price:

    • Number of templates to be produced and integrated
    • Number of pages and languages
    • Complexity of the functionalities to be developed
    • Drafting of content
    • Translation into one or more languages
    • Photo production
    • Video production
    • And much more!

    Based on your needs, plan for a budget ranging from $20,000 to $50,000 to build a medium-sized website. A $50,000 to $100,000 budget is required for a larger site.

Our web services

Advertising

  • What are the keys to successful advertising?

    Beyond our team's experience and creativity, the winning recipe for a successful advertising campaign depends on several key ingredients:

    • Thorough knowledge of your audience(s)
    • A common theme that can be rolled out on multiple platforms
    • A catchy and memorable campaign slogan
    • Powerful branding that promotes memorable content
    • A simple message that extends well beyond the product or service offered
    • Perfect execution
    • And of course, revenue growth for your company

  • Do you use UDA and ACTRA actors?

    As much as possible, we prefer working with Union des Artistes (UDA) and Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists (ACTRA) actors in our advertising projects. Not only does it provide us with access to a very large pool of resources, but it also encourages local talent.

  • Do you handle media placement?

    As needed, we handle our clients’ traditional and digital media strategy and placement, as well as maintenance and optimization during campaigns. Together with our partners, we leverage every media dollar invested to achieve or exceed your goals.

Our advertising services