Eatbigfish Challenges the Limits

Aside from the agency name, most advertising, digital, branding and strategic consultancy websites are interchangeable. However, eatbigfish’s isn’t. It's a marketing and business development juggernaut. Shouldn’t that be the point?

Do I sound a bit over the top? Here’s why eatbigfish’s marketing prowess is worth a hard look.

Eatbigfish has a single-minded message. It is 100 percent a challenger brand agency. For example, this is from the “Who We Are” section:

“We are a consultancy whose unique focus is Challenger Brand behaviour and thinking. Our expertise comes from researching and working with businesses who either are or want to be Challengers. We do not view ourselves as traditional consultants, but rather as catalysts that help clients reach their own solutions.”

Scared of pigeonholing your agency? Here’s the sweet stuff: eatbigfish’s focus on challenger brands isn’t limiting. The sales proposition includes all the number twos, threes and fours as well as brands that are challenging the status quo. Therefore, this seemingly targeted positioning (targeted agency positionings are rare in our world), actually targets about 99 percent of all potential brands.

The eatbigfish brand name proudly describes their offer and benefits. Most agencies are fearful of going down this road, preferring names that project creativity and hipness. I’ll admit to this. My agency was called Citrus.

The agency’s easy-to-navigate website is designed to support the positioning and quickly describes their agency services and benefits. The “Our Prejudices” section actually delivers a competitive POV.

The website is as content-rich as any marketing agency website I have ever seen, which is especially eye-opening considering the agency’s size. The agency delivers dozens of well-written blog posts dating back to 2010. I’d imagine that their average visit duration is high.

eatbigfish clearly loves the power of video. Its numerous (the number is amazing) high-production value videos range from purely instructive, like the “3 Bits Of Advice Series” to case histories from happy clients. Watch these on the website or on eatbigfish’s YouTube channel.

The agency has its very own iPad app.

All of the above is supported by an integrated social marketing campaign, including an active Twitter account, Facebook, LinkedIn, SlideShare and a newsletter.

Going above and beyond, the agency runs seminars (which appear to be revenue-generating), has an iPad app, (showing that it commits to generating content) and has written not one but four books: “OVERTHROW – Ten Ways to Tell a Challenger Story,” “Building a Challenger Brand Culture Within Yourself and Your Organization,” “How Challenger Brands Can Compete Against Brand Leaders” and “Challenger Credos.” Four books must be an agency record.

Want more? Eatbigfish has three Workshops-in-a-Box at £750 a pop.

OK, what’s the takeaway?

At a time when agencies pitch the value of ideas, integration, the use of new technologies, the move to tablets, thought-leadership, content marketing, social and clutter-busting messaging … eatbigfish is the rare breed of agency that puts the time, energy and money against their desire to create differentiation and act like a real challenger, err — a winner.