UNMISTAKEN
IDENTITY
35
Martin Fullard meets Michael Gietzen, MD
at Identity, an agency with a client base that
would turn most green
Based in Eastbourne, East
Sussex, Identity is an agency that
has been around for a lot longer
than you may think. However, it
has only been over the last four
years that group MD, Michael
Gietzen, has led the change into
becoming a full service agency.
This move has yielded
success: not only has the agency
achieved recognition in the
Sunday Times Fast Track 100,
but has a client base ranging
from the Foreign and
Commonwealth Office and Nato
to Harley Davidson and Siemens.
Certainly the transformation
has been valuable, as to achieve
Sunday Times Fast Track 100
status requires auditors to
calculate turnover over a
three-year period. Gietzen notes
Identity sits in 90th place, but is
targeting the top 20 in 2021.
I am interested to learn more
about Identity’s work with the
Foreign and Commonwealth
Office. “Identity’s work with
governments, from the UK to
Canada, is a huge endorsement
of us and our service,” says
Gietzen.
“This transcends a lot of our
private client work and proves
financial stability, sustainability,
and quality assurances.We have
the Cyber Essentials Plus mark,
which underlines our secure IT
infrastructure.
“In 2019 we ran some big
events, starting off with delivering
the Media Freeman conference
in the summer for 1,500
delegates over two days. We took
it to Printworks, which is quite a
grungy place, and turned it into a
venue fit for world leaders.”
Gietzen also notes new
personnel have added valuable
experience. He says: “This year
we appointed Simon Hubbard as
account director for conferencing.
He has over 20 years experience
in the sector working with clients
like Coca-Cola, Sainsbury's,
Kodak, Viacom, RSA, Molson
Coors, Anglo American, Random
House, G4S and Centrica.”
RFP is becoming more
“It is easier
for an agency
to move into
the world of
consulting,
rather than
the other
way around."
Below: Michael
Gietzen, MD, Identity
Agency Eye
thorough
as
procurement
looks to underline value. I ask
Gietzen what he needs to
demonstrate to clients in the
corporate market. “I think that
one of the greatest changes over
the last few years has been
procurement’s involvement,” he
says. “There is definitely a
financial element to a successful
pitch. We need to be thinking
about not necessarily the bottom
line, but how we are driving the
greatest value. Then it comes on
to sustainability and data.
“We like to be innovative, using
surveys and polling stations
around different seminar
sessions for example. We also
started using gamification and
quiz technology in networking
areas to talk about messages
from the keynote sessions, and to
see if they have resonated.”
How does Gietzen see the
evolution of agencies in general?
Are they likely to fill the role of
business consultant? “I have
spoken to many peers about
this,” he notes. “Consultancy
businesses are buying creative
agencies. It is easier for an
agency to move into the world of
consulting, rather than the other
way around.
“We are definitely working in a
more strategic and advisory role.
If it is a sales conference we are
working with the sales team and
their objectives. If we are working
with HR departments or business
owners, we develop a strategy for
which they will engage.
“The art is how we monetise
that: agencies are realising there
is a value proposition there. As a
people and service business we
have to charge for our staff’s
time, it is making sure the clients
understand and appreciate that:
the value exchange for what we
are offering.”
Learn more about Identity at
www.identitygroup.co.uk
www.conference-news.co.uk