There’s a perception in our industry that great creative and awards naturally go hand in hand. But awards alone don’t keep clients coming back. And for independent agencies, winning work means proving that innovative ideas can drive real, measurable results.
As Zambezi approaches its 20th year as an independent, full-service agency, I’ve seen that what truly sets indies apart is the necessity to make ideas perform. They don’t have sprawling awards departments or multimillion-dollar budgets to push submissions through the pipeline.
We don’t budget for the industry’s worst-kept secret, “awards fodder,” work designed primarily to bring home hardware. Instead, every campaign must stand on its ability to move the needle for clients. Recognition comes later, when the results are there.
The Indie Reality
Holding-company agencies often have infrastructure designed to prioritize awards. Their budgets, departments, and surplus resources can sustain entries, regardless of a campaign’s effectiveness. Independents, on the other hand, don’t have that luxury. Every project has to prove its worth in the marketplace first. But the reality is, that’s an advantage, not a disadvantage.
That pressure can feel daunting, but it also brings clarity. At indies, the measure of success starts with what the client needs most: tangible impact. If the work increases sales, grows awareness, or reshapes how people experience the brand, then we’ve done our job. Awards, when they come, are byproducts, not the primary goal.
Results Before Recognition
With this results-first mindset, independent agencies sell through ideas that may feel riskier but are more effective. Without the cushion of “safe” creative designed to appeal to juries, we have to earn buy-in for work that moves the needle.
Rewriting the financial ad formula for LPL Financial earlier this year was a risk they had never taken before. We relied on the creative shock value (because having an Oscar-nominated actress Anna Kendrick pulling an obscenely large carpet of grass on her back was bound to turn some heads) and conviction in our research to do the work.
Partnerships Built on Trust
Trust is the engine behind this model. Clients come to independent agencies because they want partners who will prioritize their brand’s performance over the agency’s own interests. That trust is earned through transparency: showing clients why a big swing makes sense, how it connects to their business goals, and what success will look like beyond a headline.
This isn’t to say awards don’t matter; they do. Recognition brings validation, visibility, and recruiting power. But for indies, awards are the result of doing right by clients, not the reason for doing the work.
Impact That Earns Recognition
After a few decades (!) in the industry myself, it’s become easier and easier for me to see that the most celebrated work—work that earns press, awards, and long-term loyalty—grows out of bold campaigns that solve actual problems. Indies have the advantage of “creative courage”; with less red tape, we can push riskier creative ideas that take a stand and remind clients why boldness matters.
Independent agencies may not create “awards fodder”, but they do make work that drives results…and by driving results, they get the attention of the industry, media, and awards bodies alike, purely based on the merit of their goals and successes.
They create work that delivers results, and results drive recognition. That cycle has kept Zambezi thriving for nearly 20 years and will continue the momentum for independent agencies for decades more.
Gavin Lester is a seasoned creative with over 20 years of advertising experience that spanned two continents before landing at Zambezi as Partner + Chief Creative Officer in 2017. There, he has overseen work on brands like LPL Financial, Liquid I.V., NFL Flag, Beats by Dre, UKG, Traeger, TaylorMade, and more.ezi.
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