Wirz reinvents itself
The traditional Swiss agency brand is completely revamping its business model and, at 88 years old, is transforming itself from a traditional communications agency into a "creative business partner". It is relying on systematized processes, a new remuneration system and maximum focus on its superpower: creativity. m&k asked what exactly "reinventing itself" means.
Creativity makes companies successful. Studies show that companies that integrate creativity into their business strategy grow 2.6 times faster than their competitors. At a time when 90 percent of a company's value is made up of intangible assets, it is clear that creativity is the key to securing growth and creating value.
Wirz system
Wirz has therefore developed a system that bundles creativity and uses it as efficiently as possible. These are the words of the press release sent out by the long-established company at the beginning of the week. And not just for advertising and communication, as it goes on to say, but to solve its customers' most important economic challenges. This system consists of modular, combinable products that build on one another and can be put together to form tailor-made programs depending on the issue and economic challenge. What's more, this modularity enables customers to select precisely the components that fit their specific challenges - from strategic needs analysis to innovative product development.
The new model is based on systematized processes. This means that all processes are optimized so that as little time and resources as possible are spent on project management and administration, leaving as much time as possible for what ultimately makes the measurable difference: creativity.
Results-oriented remuneration
Also new: the system does not reward the effort, but the result. Wirz customers therefore do not pay for the hours spent, but for the efficient solutions. The new pricing model rewards quality and efficiency, not the maximization of effort. And most importantly: the new approach always leads to the best possible solution, because creativity can always be focused on a specific problem.
"Creative Business Partner"
Wirz is convinced that this realignment will send a strong signal for the future of the entire industry. The agency now sees itself as a "creative business partner" and offers solutions that go far beyond advertising and communication. Creativity thus becomes the engine for growth, value creation and measurable success.
In demand:
m&k asked the Wirz editorial team what it means when a communications agency reinvents itself.
m&k: What prompted Wirz to realign itself?
Editorial office: Wirz has decided to fundamentally change its business model because we firmly believe that creativity can do more than "just" communication and because the communication and advertising industry has changed. Today, clients have to use a variety of channels with the same budget that used to be used mainly for traditional advertising. Moreover, the solution is not always a campaign. The previous hourly billing model provided the wrong incentive and led to administrative work that brought no real added value to either the client or the agency. WIRZ also wanted to switch from a model that rewards effort to one that rewards results. The aim is to use creativity in a targeted and efficient way to meet the economic challenges of clients.
Will customers now get more? Or something else? How can we imagine this in a practical sense?
Yes! customers now get an even better creative product that is 100% aligned to their strategic goals and focused on the optimal solution. Thanks to our targeted, modular solutions, Wirz can respond specifically to individual challenges. WIRZ offers three "paths", each covering different needs: Brand Capital (increases the brand value), Market Readiness (realizes new market opportunities along the customer journey) and New Game (opens up new growth areas through innovative products/services). This modular structure enables customers to select and combine the products they need. They pay for concrete solutions and results rather than for hours of work, which puts a greater focus on the actual creative work and less on administration.
Will there be a reduction in jobs or will they be expanded?
During implementation, the headcount was reduced in some cases, as the efficiency gains mean that less administrative work is required. At the same time, however, Wirz is looking for new talent with specific strategic and creative skills to support the new direction and better meet the needs of customers. This is therefore more of a realignment of personnel resources than a reduction in headcount.
This article originally appeared on markt-kom.com - https://www.markt-kom.com/de/markom/business/wirz-erfindet-sich-neu/
