Collaboration and Transparency: Heads Up Production’s Approach to Client Partnerships
Next week, Heads Up Production is partnering with Little Black Book to bring the industry a new event and forum for the modern business of marketing and creativity.
As the creative industry grapples with evolving demands and challenges, transparency and collaboration have become essential pillars for success. So, on Wednesday 23rd October 2024, ‘Better Together’ is set to gather 200 industry leaders and innovators to discuss the future of marketing and production, offering a platform for truly insightful conversations and networking.
Today, LBB’s Zoe Antonov finds out how Heads Up Production prioritises transparency in client relationships, fostering trust and effective communication throughout the production process.
The company’s flexibility in adapting to various client structures highlights their role acting as an extension of the client team, ensuring that projects are not just executed but enhanced through a deep understanding of brand needs. This is what fosters the long-lasting relationships that make up Heads Up’s repeat client business model.
Decades of experience in the industry also mean that Heads Up have an enviable black book of the best practitioners across all disciplines that they can call on to meet the demands of any individual project (and no two are ever the same).
So, if anybody knows about creating better work and relationships through togetherness, that’s the team at Heads Up. Take a look at the strategies that make them a leader in partnership building and exceptional delivery, regardless of adland’s affinity to change. Here’s what partner / producer Tim Page and partner / producer Jody Allison had to say.
LBB> How do you make sure the relationships you have are propped up by transparency and what goes into continuously keeping the process open for clients?
Tim & Jody> A lot of this stems from our confidence in our methodologies – to the point where we don’t fear any risk from being transparent with clients. We are set up to act always in the interest of our client and first and foremost, and we bring clients along on the journey in a collaborative spirit. We are always honest and open about options at all stages of the production process, for example the output of conversations with third parties, incoming quotes and other input from suppliers.
We don’t shy away from difficult conversations but come to them with solutions – our clients are appreciative of sharing in the decision-making process.
In terms of budgeting, we always share line-by-line reconciliations along with all backup invoices at the end of jobs and we always pass discounts directly and fully onto clients. Over-investing in good quality communication helps make things clear to a layperson where needed.
LBB> Why is a lack of transparency an issue and how can production companies tackle it today? When it's done right, how does it show up?
Tim & Jody> A lack of transparency leads to a lack of trust in the process, in production companies, in-house agencies and ultimately in the industry as a whole. To compound market pressures coming from the client community, the industry needs to be resilient against the potential threats posed by technology and in-house agency offerings making transparency more important than ever.
Legacy practices are holding the industry back, there is a risk that the industry is not ‘reading the room’. Times have moved on and a new model is needed – one that is fit for the solutions clients require today. In terms of budgeting, a fixed fee combined with contingency that allows for risk could be more befitting to the current environment.
LBB> How does HUP work as an 'extension to the client team' and what mindset is required to achieve this?
Tim & Jody> We’ve always placed an emphasis on building long-term relationships, not just relationships for a one-off production. This is born out in the strength of some of our long-term client relationships.
Because we’ve been heads of departments at leading agencies, we bring an ad agency mentality to our client relationships which was partly honed working alongside world-class account handlers. As such, we are producers with an ‘account man mode’. We are programmed to put ourselves in the client’s shoes, see the world through their eyes, and go above and beyond to offer an end-to-end service that includes providing a central gateway for paying multiple third-party suppliers, business affairs, talent procurement and music contracting.
We also can now formally work in a fractional way which allows us to give advice and guidance outside of productions. We invest in understanding brands, as well as production, which has led us to being not just part of the client team but part of the brand team, where our advice is valued even on issues outside of production, especially as to brand guardianship. Investing in understanding our clients’ brands makes productions more and more efficient over time – often we’ll know what will and won’t be acceptable to a client throughout a production so we’re able to streamline the process. Mutual respect is key – it’s just as important for us as it is for our clients and creates a virtuous circle in building the relationship in the long-term. We really enjoy our work and we have fun and that radiates into the wider team, client side and beyond.
LBB> Can you provide examples of how HUP has adapted to accommodate clients' processes, especially when faced with challenges? How does this flexibility contribute to successful project outcomes?
Tim & Jody> Every project has a different set-up or anomaly, it’s one of the HUP brand values to be flexible enough to adapt.
Between us, we’ve worked in every category of brand, from financial services and FMCG, to airlines, telecoms and cars – every category has its own conventions and quirks when it comes to production. Tried and tested formulas don’t always apply – clients come to us because we work in a way that challenges the conventional process of production.
Client organisations and set-ups vary significantly, for example creative resources can come in multiple guises – in-house, an agency or via freelancers. We are comfortable working with any of these models (we also have our own network of world-class freelance creatives and can act as full-service if required). We also work with clients where the film-maker(s) is in-house and facilitate the process around them.
LBB> Tell me more about how Heads Up builds collaboration and transparency both in the short and long term. How do you nurture your relationships?
Tim & Jody> This leads to the HUP brand standing for “Production You Can Trust” – which is our positioning in the market.
Importantly, we invest in relationships between jobs, whether or not it be a lunch, coffee or just a call where we’ll download more general insight and advice - we’ve learnt that these interactions are invaluable to our clients.
We also offer workshops to clients we are getting to know – these are a way of us to add value through our depth of experience and expertise in a manageable format answering specific challenges or questions an organisation might face.
LBB> How does HUP achieve the necessary agility in the current landscape?
Tim & Jody> By having direct and open conversations with the marketing team and proactively working to a different financial model. We have an ‘always-on’ approach – always there for the brand, not just the project.
We don’t have a formulaic way of working – we will flex according to the needs of the project. HUP partners are always involved in productions in an executive producer role and will be as hands-on as required throughout the job.
