“It’s an accolade that directs a slant of light on the value of independent agencies”

UZMA KHATEEB-NAWAZ: What motivated your agency, The D’Hamidi Partnership, to join Worldwide Partners Inc.?

FARAZ MAQSOOD HAMIDI: I had experimented with joining hands with international networks much before WPI was even on the horizon. There was a brief stint with representing Pentagram and some unfinished conversations with traditional, holding-company networks. But, ultimately, it felt transactional. It was more a case of value extraction versus the generosity of spirit required in so much of what we do as ‘creativepreneurs’. But after learning about ‘the world’s largest network of independent agencies,’ I was intrigued by the irony of the claim. How can you be independent and part of an international network simultaneously? How can your agency’s unique personality resonate with other agencies that don’t have the same ambitions or priorities as you? So I made the call. After speaking to the network’s president, it sounded like my values were echoing right back at me. And then I got it. The network is the people: outstanding individuals who not only rule the roost in their region and verticals but are committed men and women who believe in the power of collective ideation, collaboration and co-creation. When I was told, “We also have a ‘no-a**hole’ policy,” I had a feeling I might qualify!

UKN:  How does being part of WPI enhance the services your agency can offer to clients?

FMH: For starters, the network doesn’t ‘own’ the agency. The agencies ‘own’ (and take ownership of) the network. This distinction alone severs and upends the hold-co model of extracting maximum value from agencies for shareholder gain. Whatever we do (individually or collectively) comes back to the agencies and the interests of their clients. Secondly, each agency in the WPI network is simultaneously independent and global. Not only do they offer their brand of local insight and communication specialisation, but they can draw on the category-experience and expertise of other world-class specialists for the benefit of their clients.

UKN: How does it feel to be ranked among ‘the top independent agencies of the world’?

FMH: Wonderful! It’s an accolade that directs a slant of light not only on regional creative prowess but, more importantly, on the value of independent agencies that are the Davids in a world of Goliaths. This was a network-wide initiative taken by WPI and printed and distributed by Campaign magazine to marketers around the world this summer. To belong to the network, by default, ranks you among the top independent agencies of the world given the rigorous criteria and benchmarks each agency in the network must adhere to. So, by any measure, a ranking such as this is worth its weight in marketing gold.

UKN: What are the criteria to be part of this ranking?

FMH: Your candidacy is assessed and then selected by the WPI Board, comprised of an international panel of agency founders, on the basis of creative reputation, depth of specialisation, regional presence, and breadth of portfolio. There are only 90 such agencies in the world, across 45 countries, with five-plus billion dollars in combined billings that are challenging the holding company agency model through collaboration, co-creation, category specialisation, and speed to market.

UKN: How often are agencies added to the network?

FMH: The network is older than Pakistan. It has been around for 80 years or so and is based out of Denver, Colorado. And they have a ‘buyers approach’. Which is to say, they are cautious of who they welcome into their fold because culture is how the network prevails. When you attend WPI’s global summits, you literally feel you’re among long, lost cousins! Because our professional DNA is the same, there is a palpable energy of generosity and community. And it all boils down to the spirit of co-creation through independence. If there are only 90 agencies in the network’s 80 years of incorporation, that’s a 0.88% acceptance rate per year. Last year, for instance, 40 agencies applied, but only two were shortlisted for review.

UKN: How will this ranking help your agency advance its cause in the rapidly evolving advertising landscape?

FMH: The ranking is a mood booster. It’s great for organisation-wide motivation. It helps filter client decision-making, and I’m sure the guys in procurement would love it! And let’s not forget that it offers more proof of concept to brand managers as yet another reason to validate their choice of agency partner. Ultimately, the ranking gives you global prominence as an agency that can provide any number of specialist communication services, anywhere in the world – alongside the mastery of their own vertical.

UKN: Can you describe the process of collaborating with other WPI member agencies on international campaigns?

FMH: WPI’s global collaborations are orchestrated through a central hub based out of the US. Member agencies can request any number of provisions (research, local insights, case studies, entire launch plans, etc.) that are then put into action. We also have agencies pitch collectively for business should a client request for a service that may not be listed on the lead agency’s registry. So by both complementing and supplementing each other, clients receive the full spectrum of competitive advantages, and that, too, from founder-led, senior talent.

UKN: What new capabilities or resources can your agency access through the WPI network?
FMH: We can access the world. Better still, it’s a world of founder-tested, meritorious and curated communication solutions where there’s no time wasted in ambiguity, second-guesses, or loss of efficiency. The network may be global, but its soul is infused with the spirit of independence, which explains why the creative temperament is more likely to naturally gravitate to the latitudes of freedom we occupy. Oh, and #NoA**holes.