Here's an excellent interview of Jason Fried, president of software company 37signals, who says "full-service" ad agency is a meaningless phrase. (We couldn't agree more.) He goes on to speak of the value (literally) of rethinking the big behemoths (A.K.A. agencies of record) and hiring the small, nimble agency. (Um, ditto.)

We'd add:

1. Be sure that that small, nimble agency is steeped in best-in-class experience. Small does not have to equal small-minded or junior or limited or strictly of the consultant model.
2. Cherry pick this small agency for their thinking. Perhaps even hire them JUST for their thinking.  What? Creative shops that aren't hired for creative? Heck, yeah. Start there. Leave it open-ended. See where it takes you. Before anything else, the thinking is what will differentiate you.The ideas are what will propel you. Creative shops have a unique way of looking at problems, a diverse and unexpected universe from which to pull fellow problem-solvers.
3. Do quick projects. Have a challenge? Pull in some thought leaders around it for a day or two. Pay them well and it'll still be a better value than your big agency full of layers and layers of juniorlings. (Sneaky plug: that's why Good People Branding is set up as a collaborative. We pull in who we want, when it makes the most sense, customizing a dream team to solve very specific business challenges. And it works.)

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