Marking 70 years since its founding, ICOM is celebrating its growth from a modest network of small ad agencies in the U.S. to a network that has played a significant role in connecting independent marketing communication agencies across the globe.
ICOM, now one of the world’s most geographically diverse global networks, is 70-plus agencies strong in over 60 countries, providing a full range of advertising, marketing communications, media, digital and related services. This year's milestone will be recognized with special messaging noting "celebrating 70 years of global cooperation."
"Any organization that not only survives but thrives over 70 years in a rapidly changing business such as marketing communications must be both nimble and a continual value to its members," said Peter Krivkovich, chairman-CEO, U.S.-based Cramer-Krasselt (C-K), an agency which joined ICOM more than 30 years ago. "ICOM is that, also unique to associations, and much more."
It makes ICOM a viable alternative for clients to the publicly traded multinational agency groups as evidenced by the recent win by .becoming, ICOM member in France and Belgium, of a €50 million account from the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Communication. Consolidating its communications from the 40 directorates general to target EU residents and others, the EC chose an alliance of .becoming and Brussels-based GOPAcom over 10 other European agencies. The assignment covers all communications disciplines. .becoming’s membership in ICOM and .becoming President Christophe Levyfve’s role as ICOM Europe Regional Director was a key consideration in the decision. ICOM Board Chairman Bob Morrison, whose agency Morrison based in Atlanta, Ga., USA, and also a long-time ICOM member, said his agency has competed and won many times against the biggest multi- national agencies in the world.
"Clients have told us they chose us and ICOM because they could sense a unique chemistry and quickly recognized the value of working with a network of expert agency leaders who know each other, like each other and have long-standing business relationships," Morrison said. "That isn't necessarily so with multi-nationals where offices compete against each other and senior people often turn over each year. The leadership teams of ICOM agencies are local and stable. That stability combined with powerful local knowledge and connections is a tremendous value for clients who want rapid brand traction and real business results in every country. And that chemistry is especially important among agencies working together on a global brand."
During the almost 30 years São Paulo-based RINO COM has been a member, the agency has collaborated many times with ICOM partner agencies as both the lead agency for its clients going abroad and as local expert for other ICOM agencies’ clients entering Brazil. Partners have supported RINO COM in their own countries for The Brazilian Coffee Industry Association, and RINO COM worked with partner C-K when its client Dremel Tools advertised in Brazil.
"We have learned over the years to trust each other explicitly, and this allows us to serve our clients everywhere and participate fully in the globalization of business. Even if the activity takes place thousands of miles away, it is as if we ourselves are present," said Rino Ferrari, president, RINO COM. Membership for Tokyo-based ADEX Nihon Keizai Advertising Co., Ltd., which joined ICOM in 1993, has also been invaluable. "When our clients start businesses and expand abroad, we support them with the cooperation of our ICOM partners elsewhere. When our partners’ clients come here, we support them in Japan," said Motohiko Yoshida, the agency's managing director. "What is especially worthwhile is our partner agency's in-depth local knowledge. We get insight, based not just on standard research, but from our partner’s own experience."
Membership benefits aren’t limited to sharing business. "We use the network to stay on top of international benchmarks and practices. That helps us frame and evaluate proposals to both clients and prospects," said Ferrari. "It clearly conveys our knowledge of the world and offers a global vision of exceptional creative work elsewhere. This has been especially useful for our shopping mall clients, which face the challenge of constant innovation to remain competitive."
Although ICOM's name, size, range and scope of services have evolved, the basic principles of the founders remain. It all started during the post World War II economic boom when Americans opened their wallets for better life experiences, and marketers eagerly accommodated them. Plus, a new medium, TV, offered the opportunity of reaching massive numbers of consumers at the same time.
That prompted an explosion in advertising agency startups, many wanting to be part of a national network to be competitive, but finding no options other than the American Association of Advertising Agencies, which for most was unaffordable. Two agency execs in California reached out to other young U.S. agencies and were surprised at the strong response. Within a few months, the National Federation of Advertising Agencies was formed with 20-plus members in major cities. Admission was open only to one agency in a trading area, and each applicant had to meet requirements regarding size, competence, ethics, financial stability and their desire to cooperate with other members. In 1980, the name was changed to International Federation of Advertising Agencies Inc to address the global orientation the network had taken and in 1998, the organization was finally renamed International Communications Agency Network Inc, known today as ICOM.
"Today, while network membership has grown significantly, applicants are still vetted to assure they are a good fit, share the same values and business philosophy and are committed to collaboration," said ICOM Executive Director Emma Keenan. "The result is a global partnership of like-minded independent agencies, offering a full range of communication services, supported by professional staffs ready to share best business practices, tools, knowledge and expertise with each other."
"We are so much more than a traditional industry organization gathering information and sharing," Krivkovich said. "A key focus is on fostering real business growth. Members are continually in contact with each other. It’s not unusual for an agency head in one country to jump on a plane or train and help make a pitch across the Pond or the Pacific. That transforms ICOM into an international business machine. We are business partners in the very truest sense of the word."