Three Present Problems

In this 1970 4A's (the American Association of Advertising Agencies) speech, Paul C Harper, chairman, Needham, Harper & Steers New York, argues that full-service agencies should maximise their media-buying role, rather than outsourcing to a specialist media-buying service.

Three Present Problems

Paul C. Harper, Jr.Needham, Harper & Steers, Inc

The other day at lunch I was talking to a major advertiser, well known for his strong views. Like most advertisers, and I think all of us here in this room, he is increasingly worried about advertising costs. He said to me, “The crux of the cost problem is in the buying function. More flexible, opportunistic buying practices will allow us to cut costs. You agency people are too set in your ways to give us this, too locked into the details of the...

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