Transforming a creative agency through a collaborative approach
How we redesigned the operational model of SanchoBBDO, the leading advertising agency in Colombia, by rethinking the way its leaders and 400+ employees collaborate, plan ahead and create ideas together.
Role: Head of Transformation
Organization: Sancho BBDO
Location: Colombia
Date: 2018-2021
01.
In 2018 SanchoBBDO had been selected as the most effective creative agency in Colombia for 10 times in a row (Effie Colombia).
The firm was thriving and its employee-base was growing. However, the advertising sector had been changing dramatically. International consultancy firms, independent agencies and emerging needs from clients regarding new digital and technological challenges were becoming more and more common.
A challenging landscape
02.
Foundational Research
We conducted an enterprise-wide research, focusing in gathering the perspective of those teams and individuals closer to the operation of the everyday challenges through in-depth interviews, etnographic observations and periodic digital surveys.
Interviews with employees, clients, and agency leaders
70
Hours of recordings analyzed
100+
Strategic areas identified as leverage points
5
03.
To kickstart the transformation process we adopted the Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) strategic framework to outline the purpose, quarterly goals and key actions for each of the priority areas and the different divisions of the agency.
Collaborative Planning
During the first year 50 employees from different divisions and levels of seniority were invited for the first time to join the agency’s C-level to brainstorm ideas and discuss potential strategic avenues for planning the agency’s future.
During the second year (2019) the initiative became the "Leadership Camp", a 2-day workshop where leaders from different divisions worked together to redefine the agency's strategic vision and mission
For 2020 (COVID-19) we kept our collaborative planning process alive and repurpose the space as a remote Leadership Camp, focused on navigating the uncertainty of the moment.
04.
Scaling Change
-
We began the transformation process by assembling a 3-month pilot team. This space operated as a live laboratory for learning, experimentation and testing of new operating and collaborative processes, as well as new capabilities.
-
We created a knowledge management division, Sancho Knows, which delivered 1,000+ hours of training for 400 employees, including access to e-learning custom-made programs through Crehana, as well as certifications for Google, Facebook, Snapchat and TikTok.
-
We created the Communications and Culture Department, focused on developing content and events that built a collective sense of purpose and fostered integration across more than 10 teams and 400+ employees.
-
We introduced a new Growth and Performance Marketing division, and an Agile Content Production unit which became key new sources of revenue for the agency.
-
We integrated a new suite of software to facilitate agile project management and hybrid creative collaboration.
05. Team
Felipe Arango, Andrés Carvajal, Juanita Rodríguez, Natalia Pérez, Andrea Llano, Camila Ortega, Vanessa Cervini, Kattalina Espinel, Juan David Jaramillo, María Fernanda Duque, Carolina Astaiza, Sergio León, Hugo Corredor, Giovanni Martínez, Mario Lagos, María José Herrera, Paola Tibaduiza, Samantha Gonzalez and many others.