Balancing brands: the client you serve, the agency you represent, the voice you own
Why alignment across clients, agencies and individuals defines modern brand integrity.
Supporting your clients’ brands
Having worked in advertising my whole career, I have built a life around helping others tell their stories. I have advised CMOs on growth, CTOs and CFOs on ROI, and editors in chief on how to build loyalty with their audiences. Along the way, I learned that managing brands is never just about campaigns or creative ideas; it is about alignment. The alignment between the clients you serve, the agency you represent, and the values you hold yourself to.
In the early days, agency loyalty meant commitment and consistency. If Molson was your client, it was the only beer in the fridge and it’s the only beer you ordered at the pub during office gatherings. Yes, I am that old, and yes, agencies had beer fridges. If Starbucks was our client, their coffee filled every machine and other companies’ takeout cups did not enter the building. We celebrated other brands’ good work and stayed neutral when someone had bad press because one day that brand might become our next client.
It was not just about professionalism. It was about commitment to our clients’ success. Agencies were expected to be an extension of the brand, to understand its tone, protect its reputation and amplify its message. I still believe that a sense of shared responsibility is what makes great partnerships work. When you hire an agency, you should expect them to care as deeply about your brand as you do. And the best ones do. Agencies should be the first to support their clients. That is the foundation of trust.
Standing by your agency’s values
But the definition of loyalty has evolved. Today, it is not enough to stand behind a client’s logo. You have to stand for something as an agency. Social media has become the new test of that integrity. Every agency is now both a brand and a participant in the public conversation. How you communicate, what you celebrate, and even what you stay silent about reflects your values. Integrity today is not defined by a mission statement but by how visibly and consistently those values play out in public view.
The truth is that values only matter if you can show how you upheld them when you had something to lose. It is easy to post about culture or kindness when everything is going well. It is much harder when a decision costs you a client, a project, or a chance at growth. But that is where credibility is built. In those moments, an agency shows what it truly stands for.
Showing up authentically as yourself
That same principle extends to how we show up individually. On social media, I remind my team to be thoughtful, kind and intentional. Every post, comment and interaction reflects not just who we are, but the communities and clients we represent. But I also believe people need the space to show up as themselves. Their voices, perspectives and values are what make an agency stronger.
The key is alignment. Your personal values need to align with your agency and the brands you support at a foundational level. Without that, your voice is not transparent; it is caged. You end up filtering yourself for the sake of optics instead of speaking with integrity.
As agency leaders, our responsibility is to model that balance. To support our clients first, to protect our values when it is inconvenient, and to build teams whose authenticity strengthens the brands we represent. That is how trust is earned and how long-term partnerships are built.
