Global Wins, Local Woes

In the high-stakes world of global media, nothing beats the thrill of landing a massive, multi-market client. The announcement goes out: “Global win! Welcome our newest client to the agency family!” Champagne is popped. Leadership beams. Everyone congratulates themselves on negotiating impossibly low rates that sealed the deal.

Then reality sets in.

The celebratory emails fade, and local teams are left holding the bag. That global win often means local pain — with thin margins, tight deadlines, and clients who expect premium service without paying premium prices. When global leadership focuses on the big picture but forgets the people on the ground, it can jeopardize not just the client relationship but the agency’s own sustainability.

It’s time to address the elephant in the room: global wins need local support — and that means more than just good intentions.

The Reality of “Global” Success

Global consolidation pitch wins that span multiple markets offer numerous advantages, including stronger client-agency alignment, improved media pricing, consistent use of technology, and a host of other strategic benefits.

These global media deals are often driven by scale. Negotiating low rates centrally can make sense when you’re working with massive volumes. But those rates don’t account for local realities:

• Smaller teams must deliver big results on razor-thin margins.
• Local nuances demand extra time, effort, and expertise to get campaigns right.
• Operational costs — from...