Ingenuity+ launches as a 'simpler' intermediary service

Former Oystercatchers duo Richard Robinson and Gill Huber are to spearhead a rebranded intermediary service from the Ingenuity Group, designed to offer an alternative to the full blown new business agency pitch.

Ingenuity+ forms a key pillar within the group, with a mission to radically improve the process of connecting brands with agencies, regardless of size, discipline or location.

It was devised following research commissioned by Ingenuity into the future plans of 500 senior brand-side marketers, which showed the need for a radical reset of how brands and agencies connect.

Despite 9 in 10 respondents saying they want to work with an intermediary when searching for an agency, these marketers also said they were currently faced with an inflexible model based on a rigid ‘search and selection’ approach.

The findings were clear that CMOs want intermediary services to do three things: be an expert voice; provide a bespoke solution; and offer trusted guidance. Ingenuity+ will focus on delivering all three.

Robinson and Huber join Ingenuity+ from Future Factory, part of the Ingenuity Group, where they have been working since leaving Oystercatchers earlier this year. They will be joined by managing director of growth Duncan Wood and managing partner Dominic Glenn as well as other members of the team.

Ingenuity+ is the latest addition to the rapidly growing Ingenuity Group, founded by Chris Kemp, which also includes Future Factory, Reg & Co, Mad//Fest and Mad//Masters. Robinson will be reporting into Kemp.

Robinson, who is executive director, said: “Ingenuity has conducted the largest study into what CMOs want from the Intermediary market, concluding a new model is needed to deliver against the real needs of brands, and not their needs from a decade ago.

“Through the research it has become apparent there is a disconnect between what senior, brand-side marketers and agencies mean by a ‘pitch’. While most agencies think pitches mean a fully comprehensive process, brands are in fact looking for something much nimbler.

“The development of Ingenuity+ allows us to plug this gap and make sure that brands and agencies are talking to each other in the right way, at the right time, and coming together through the right process to grow value for all.”

Huber, who takes up the role of managing director, added: “Ingenuity’s research showed that 69% of marketers will ‘definitely’ be pitching in the next 12 months and another 29% will probably be. There is an urgent need for an agile, expert and experienced intermediary solution. Enter Ingenuity+; with decades of combined and broad experience means we’re able to offer expert and bespoke solutions to help guide brands and agencies through the pitch process.”