SBR 51: The Secret to Strong Client-Agency Relationships

A strong client agency relationship can be the difference between campaigns that soar and those that stumble. Yet, despite the clear benefits of effective collaboration, too many partnerships suffer from miscommunication, misaligned expectations, and frustration on both sides.

A couple of years ago we analysed the best and worst client agency relationships to uncover what makes them work—and what causes them to break down. In this blog, we’ll share the key factors that drive successful partnerships and provide actionable steps to strengthen your client-agency relationships.

Why Client Agency Relationships Matter

Long-term, productive client agency relationships don’t just happen by chance. They require trust, clear communication, and mutual respect. Here’s why they are so important:

• Better Work: Strong partnerships foster creativity and strategic thinking, leading to higher-quality output.

• Efficiency & Cost Savings: A well-functioning relationship minimises wasted time, reduces the need for disruptive agency changes, and avoids costly missteps.

• Stronger Brand Impact: When clients and agencies align on vision and execution, brands benefit from consistent, powerful marketing campaigns.

The 6 Pillars of a Successful Client Agency Relationship

We’ve identified six key themes that influence the success (or failure) of client-agency relationships:

1. Mutual Understanding

One of the biggest predictors of success is whether both parties truly understand each other’s business, goals, and pressures. Agencies that take time to grasp a client’s brand, industry, and internal challenges are more likely to deliver impactful work. Likewise, clients who recognise the constraints and creative process of agencies are able to create a more collaborative environment.

2. Respectful Challenge

The best agency relationships involve a healthy level of challenge. Clients should welcome agencies that push back with strategic reasoning, and agencies should feel confident voicing their expert opinions. However, this can only happen in an environment of mutual respect, where agencies are treated as valued partners rather than vendors.

3. Honesty & Trust

Trust is the foundation of any successful relationship. Yet, our research found that many agency professionals feel a lack of transparency from clients—whether it's unclear feedback, last-minute budget cuts, or sudden scope changes. Honesty, from both sides, ensures smoother project execution and stronger results. We’ve seen clients who refuse to share the broader business performance with their agency partners and vice versa. The best relationships are transparent (well, almost - there’ll be some super sensitive commercial information that perhaps can’t be shared - but it’s the exception not the rule).

4. The Power of the Brief

A well-written brief is the single most important tool in setting up a project for success. Shockingly, according to the Better Brief Project (excellent research that all clients and agencies should read) while 80% of clients believe they write good briefs, 90% of agencies disagree! Clear, strategic briefs lead to better creative work and less wasted time on misunderstandings and rework.

5. Time Management & PrioritiSation

Time is one of the biggest sources of friction in client-agency relationships. Unrealistic deadlines, rushed feedback cycles, and last-minute requests can erode trust and lead to subpar work. Setting realistic expectations and respecting each other’s time ensures smoother workflows and better collaboration.

6. Stakeholder Management

Agencies often struggle with unclear client side decision-making structures and last-minute “secret stakeholders” who derail projects. Clients should ensure all key stakeholders are aligned upfront, while agencies should proactively ask about approval processes to avoid late-stage surprises. There’s an old saying “you need to be in at the start to bin at the end.”

How to Improve Client Agency Relationships

Based on our experience working with some of the UK’s biggest brands and agencies, we recommend four actionable steps to strengthen relationships:

• Kick-off Meetings: Establish alignment at the start of every engagement with clear goals, roles, and expectations.

• Increase Your Decency Quotient: Foster a culture of respect and appreciation to encourage better work from your agency.

• Spot Early Warning Signs: Identify and address potential issues before they escalate into bigger problems.

• Master the Art of Briefing: Invest in training to improve the quality of your briefs and creative feedback.

Work With US to Build Better Relationships

At Big Black Door, we specialise in helping brands and agencies unlock the full potential of their partnerships. With decades of experience in FMCG marketing, we offer tailored workshops, briefing masterclasses, and strategic consultancy to improve collaboration and drive better results.

Ready to take your client-agency relationships to the next level? Contact us today to see how we can help your brand or agency team build a stronger, more productive partnership.

Email us at gareth@bigblackdoor.com to start the conversation, or book an exploratory call on the button below