Perhaps unsurprisingly, the US is seen as a promising country for creative agencies overseas to expand into, with 20% looking to expand there, making it the most targeted country for international expansion.
The research found that there are stark differences in the growth strategies implemented by creative agencies in the US versus internationally. For instance, the most important strategy for achieving growth in the US was attracting new clients, with 46% of agencies citing this as a top three priority. This is significantly higher than the international average, where 24% of agencies saw this as the number one priority for growth.
The top barriers to growth reported globally differed across countries, likely due to regional factors such as economic climate, geo-political climate, and local talent challenges. In the US, it was revealed that the top barrier for creative agencies was the consolidation of client budgets, a pressure also regularly cited by their global counterparts, with 44% experiencing this issue.
Other barriers to growth highlighted by US creative leaders include the risk of expanding into new international markets in addition to the increased competition for clients. Both of these track against global perceptions.
The US report is part of a series of insight reports from our latest research, The SI Partners’ Path to Growth Survey, which explores global agencies’ growth plans and challenges. Click here to download this section of the report.
As part of our research, we conducted a global analysis of the growth challenges and aspirations of over 600 creative agency leaders across 16 countries. For the full analysis of our global research, download the report. Or read the insights from the blogs.