In an engaging and thought-provoking article written for The Guardian, Tom Goodwin discusses the many ways in which mainstream marketing agencies have failed to optimize technology to further business.

He argues that instead of looking at the tech revolution as an opportunity to find a new way to the moon, too many agencies have strapped this amazing tool onto a 1960’s era platform thus limiting both potential outcomes and future progress.

Perhaps what is most intriguing is Goodwin’s take on the role of the marketing industry as a whole. From his perspective, marketing agencies have both the liberty and the responsibility to act as renegade R&D; coming up with new strategies and applications that don’t just break the mold but blast it apart with such force that all molds of the past are forever changed.

As a uniquely positioned partner that operates at the amazing creation level across a wide variety of industries, marketers have the ability to change the face of a company, revolutionize a process or even create a new, ground-breaking product.

It is probably safe to say that no one else has invested as much thought and consideration into truly knowing your potential clients as your marketing team (be they in-house or partnered). They understand your client base with the same passionate intention that your accountant uses to dissect quarterly earnings reports.

While they may not be the best at understanding the feasibility and time constraints associated with a true R&D project, they can provide unique insight on ways to delight your customers. After all, these are the people that study the behaviors and trends associated with your client base. Who better to come up with innovative ways to meet their needs?

It is time to expect more than catchy one-liners and boring newsletters from your marketing team. Partner with an agency that doesn’t just understand where your business is but has a unique vision for what it could be.