ICA UPDATES AGENCY SEARCH GUIDE
By Adnews Staff
The Toronto-based Institute of Communications & Advertising has released an updated version of its Best Practice in Agency Search and Selection Guide. The guide was produced by Sark & Reynolds Management Consultants after two years of research on selection practices in Canada, the US and the UK. The first edition of the guide was released five years ago. The publication seeks to advise advertisers on determining whether they need a new agency and, if so, the best ways to find one. The guide contains a roadmap of the selection process, plus checklists and rating sheets for each stage of the search. "On the surface, selecting a communications partner may seem similar to hiring a key employee," said ICA president Rupert Brendon. "However, making the right decision is much more complex, interpretive and risk laden. Considering what is at stake, agency searches are alarmingly haphazard." The guide is available from the ICA Web site at <http://www.ica-ad.com>.