What Makes a Great Client-Creative Partnership?
The latest Brandland event brought together creative minds, brand leaders and marketing professionals for an honest conversation about how to build and sustain stronger client-agency relationships.
In a time when in-house teams, hybrid models, and evolving business needs are reshaping how brands work with creative partners, this felt like a timely and much-needed, discussion.
Shining a Light on Relationship Management
One theme quickly became clear: relationship management doesn’t get talked about enough. It’s not always seen as a headline topic, but it's the backbone of successful collaborations. Without mutual understanding, trust, and aligned expectations, even the most talented teams struggle to deliver their best work.
Led by Experience
The discussion was brilliantly led by Holly Bamford from Borne, who moderated a stellar panel of experienced marketing and communications leaders:
Dom South, Marketing Director at Adnams
Sonia Holman, Head of Marketing at Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines
Sarah Brazier, Head of Campaigns at The Fairtrade Foundation
Daniela Marchesi, Freelance PR Consultant
Each brought their own insights and some candid examples to the table, making the conversation practical, grounded and genuinely useful.
Key Takeaways
Here are a few standout lessons from the night:
Look beyond the brief: As Sonia Holman shared, agencies do better work when they understand the bigger picture. Sharing wider business context, not just the deliverables, helps creative teams solve the right problems.
Challenge the thinking: Great agencies aren’t afraid to push back or stretch the original concept. Even if the final decision returns to the original idea, the act of testing, questioning and exploring makes the work stronger.
Widen your relationships: Don’t let communication sit with just one contact. Strong relationships should span departments and levels, making the partnership more resilient and better informed.
Learn from both sides: The panel shared examples of both great and challenging partnerships. What set the successful ones apart? Trust, openness, and a shared sense of purpose.
Final Thoughts
This event was a brilliant reminder that creative partnerships are built, not bought. It takes time, empathy, challenge and curiosity.
Thank you to Holly for being an excellent host, Adnams for our wonderful drinks and Fuel Studios Norwich for the space.
