Who Is a Digital Agency? Delving into the Value Proposition

Abstract

The marketing communication services market has been transformed by digitisation, which has led to the evolution of traditional agencies, the emergence of new digital agencies, and the entry of consulting firms into the market. The literature on agencies has investigated the differences between traditional and digital agencies in terms of structures, processes, and culture. However, little is known about new players’ value propositions. Given the phenomenological variety of digital agencies found in the management literature, the research aims to investigate the characteristics of these players’ value proposition. Through a qualitative exploratory approach based on 22 in-depth interviews with communication professionals and the subsequent thematic content analysis, the authors identified three different digital agencies’ typologies: strategic digital consultants, integrated digital communication agencies, and specialised digital communication agencies. Given the absence of studies on the topic, the paper contributes to the literature on agencies by outlining the key characteristics of the value proposition of the three typologies of digital agencies identified in terms of the offering, target and strategy. From a managerial perspective, this study may reduce client disorientation, better define the competitive landscape, and, finally, improve the communication network’s performance.