The other type of relationship is well characterised in Robert Townsend's lively book Up the Organisation . Although this would be a happy state of affairs it is not really practical in direct marketing, even if it makes sense in advertising. Intermingled Many agents would be delighted if their clients accepted unquestioningly everything they proposed. And many clients would as a result go broke. In the case of Avis, the agency was simply advising on what sort of advertising to run.
Advertising is basically a communications business.
Successful direct marketing, however, depends upon many factors beyond the communication itself - factors which are crucial to any organisation, like what sort of prices to charge and what sort of offers to make. I also think it is unwise on the part of the agent. One of my friends who ran a successful direct marketing agency in London very nearly went bankrupt as a result of undertaking many of these functions for his client. The truth, of course, is that agencies' and clients' functions are so intermingled, it's hard to know where to draw the line between them. As long as we are well remunerated and it is not seen as a permanent arrangement, we are happy to do so.