Question for agencies: Can you collaborate with a competitor? And will you – if a client asks? Lance Thornswood, Interactive Creative Director at Target, talks about his success leading campaigns when multiple best-in-class agencies – or "frenemies" – are responsible for the work.


Quick background: "Frenemies" is a relatively new word that describes businesses who both collaborate and compete, behaving as both "friends" and "enemies." Earlier this year, I wrote a post on frenemies, noting that when frenemies collaborate there may be initial discomfort and turf wars, but the faster all parties can squelch the "enemies" mentality, the more successful they'll be.
I interviewed Thornswood to obtain a client perspective on managing frenemies. Look for an upcoming post from the agency perspective, i.e., what it's like to work side-by-side with frenemies.

Do you think "frenemies" is an accurate description of how some agencies view each other?
Or is it too militaristic?
"I think it's a very accurate term and not overly militaristic or negative. In the business world Sun Tzu's "The Art of War" has become an overused handbook. Still, I've seen agencies fight working together as though resisting an invasion force."

How much of your work involves managing "frenemies"?
"Virtually everything we produce at Target involves "frenemies" to some degree. We have an agency roster with best-of-breed experts in each major medium, so our packaging agencies are distinct from our broadcast agencies or our interactive agencies. I believe that is (and always will be) the best way to get excellent work in each category."
Why so many agencies?
"I've yet to encounter any agency that can handle both the breadth and depth required across all our media types: they either do many things reasonably well or one thing exceedingly well. By orchestrating the integration on the client side and demanding collaboration among our agencies, we get breadth by combining the deep expertise of the best agencies in each medium."
What projects or campaigns are ideally suited to multiple agencies or "frenemies"?
"I think any campaign that crosses media channels will benefit from frenemies working together."

What's the best way to ensure that frenemies focus on collaboration, not competition?
"I believe you have to be crystal clear on expectations from the very beginning. I like to say, 'You're doing X and they're doing Y. If you have a great idea in their medium, share it with them and let them develop it – and vice versa. But please don't present work in the other agency's sandbox, and don't ask for a piece of their business – because you're not going to get it.'"
What challenges do you face when you put "frenemies" on a project?
"It's not uncommon for me to clearly lay out expectations for collaboration, to have both agencies agree in one another's presence, and then to watch those same agencies leave the room and not speak again until they're presenting the 'joint' work they've independently created!
"I've even been clear in saying: 'Agency X is working on the catalog and the budget is $X; and agency Y is working on the website and budget is $Y. I expect both of you to work collaboratively and understand that the budgets and work assignments are final.'
"What happens, unfortunately, is that each agency comes back with concepts that try to one up the other one's assignment – perhaps in a vain attempt to persuade me to reallocate the budgets or reassign the work in their favor."
Why does this happen?
"The 'enemy' part seems inherent in agency DNA. That strong competitive drive is hard to overcome. I know because I was in the agency world for 16 years."

Are there situations where "frenemies" working together is not the best course of action?
"Don't ask two agencies to collaborate on one single-media project because it's too tough to draw clear lines between who's expected to do what. Also, it's incredibly important to be consistent: don't start something as a collaboration and then turn it into a bake-off where you're picking one agency's work over another."
Do you think agencies working together as "frenemies" is a trend?
"Yes, I do. I've yet to work with an agency whose expertise in multiple media is equivalently deep in each medium. This seems especially prevalent with traditional media and online, where I don't believe there exists any agency that's a complete rock star in both. Either they're a traditional shop that dabbles on the web or vice versa, but I've never yet seen anyone do both excellently. Frankly, I don't think they ever will. Their DNA is too different to ever create a true hybrid."
In the end, do the benefits of collaboration outweigh the friction of competition?
"Yes. In my time at Target, we've continually innovated and constantly pushed the creative to new levels. Our recent launch of the Converse One Star brand is a terrific example of "frenemies" creating the best possible work. Neither our broadcast, print, nor interactive shops could have created as complete and inventive campaign on their own, but together we've created video, photo, and shopping experiences that build on one another incredibly well. In the process, we've also forged relationships that are more "friends" than "enemies".
"I bumped into the broadcast art director the day after we wrapped shooting and she couldn't say enough about how great it was collaborating with the interactive art director on set during the shoot. She said, 'Not only were we able to create assets for use in both media, but we were real partners. I could start a shot and he could finish it – and vice versa. It was incredible.'"
Questions for MarketingProfs readers:
Do you manage frenemies?
Has the experience been successful?
Please share.