Marcel Trachsel, Founder & Partner
Will the communications market in a few years be determined by a few large agencies that combine all communications disciplines under one roof? Or will there still be small, clearly focused boutiques in the future that provide their clients with strategic advice and comprehensive support together with partners? int/ext has chosen this path and has been successful in doing so.
There is no doubt that many companies are abandoning their sole focus on shareholder value and are increasingly focusing on stakeholder value. Pure profit orientation is being replaced by a comprehensive view in which companies see themselves as part of society and assume corresponding responsibility. This change is also reflected in the way companies present themselves on the market. As a result, communication is changing; it is becoming more comprehensive, integrated and complex.
In this situation, many communications experts see the silver bullet in the merging of the various communications disciplines. They conclude that consulting firms will only be able to support their clients successfully in the future if they understand this convergence and unite corporate communications, internal communications, advertising, financial communications, public affairs, reputation management, etc. under one roof. The logical consequence of this would be that the market would be dominated by a few large agencies in a few years.
But is the integrated communications agency really the gold standard? Or are there other approaches that are promising?
We at int/ext have deliberately chosen an alternative path. With our team of eight consultants, we focus on reputation and reputation risk management. We analyze the situation of our clients, work out the profile of their company on this basis, create the strategies to position it in the market and protect its reputation. In doing so, we work closely with the management, sometimes also with the board of directors. In the tactical area, we develop implementation concepts tailored to the strategy, and are responsible for content management and project management. For everything else, we call in partners with the appropriate specialized knowledge.
Our contacts from the C-Suite value our experience and expertise in the strategic area and the personal support with discussions at eye level. We also address topics that go far beyond the area of communications, such as governance, risk or quality management, change management and preparation for crisis situations.
Our clients choose to work with us because they are convinced of the quality of our work and our agility. We offer them everything from strategic and tactical consulting to project implementation from a single source, without having all disciplines in our team. Unlike integrated communication agencies, we are not forced to constantly utilize a large apparatus.
We have been pursuing this path independently for almost thirty years with conviction and success. Even dwarfs can be beautiful.