What to Look for in a Creative Production Partner?

“One of the hottest topics currently occupying both brands and in-house agencies, as the pandemic continues to disrupt the traditional IHA model, is finding the right mix of partners that will set companies up for success,” Robert Berkeley, CEO, EKCS. 

How to find, select and onboard an offshore partner is an area that many brands and in-house agencies are concerned about. For those not currently offshoring, reasons included the inability to find the right partner and the misconception that offshore partners were only there for scale.

The process of searching for a partner is often reliant on recommendations and referrals, while finding partners through webinars and conferences can also be beneficial. In an EKCS ‘The Modern Challenges of an IHA’ survey 41% say creative expertise matters the most and 49% say cost effectiveness and turnaround times. 

Here is a checklist for finding the right outsourcing partner: 

• Cultural fit and shared vision
• High-quality work
• Effective communication
• The ability to scale up resource
• Access to 24/7 studios and turnaround times
• Relevant industry experience and case studies
• Flexible & competitive pricing

A production partner might also have:

• Onshore account managers – Local account managers can be a real asset. EKCS has an 80/20 mix of onshore and offshore resources. In the US and UK, for example, we have onshore specialists who know the industries that our clients are operating which is an added advantage.
• Workflow systems – With a trusted production partner you will still be in control. With EKCS, you can continue to use your own workflow system to enable you to see status reports, measure progress and communicate effectively on the projects. Like many of our clients, you may choose to take advantage of Mediaferry, our award-winning, cloud-based workflow system which enables you to stay in control with a complete overview of the campaign or project.

To find out more about outsourcing, download our free guide. It looks at the benefits of outsourcing, what to consider in a production partner and tips on how to get started with outsourcing.