South Africa, Aug. 31 -- Credentials. Bona fides. Street cred. No matter which way you look at it, what the mind conjures up is no single attribute. It's the whole package - the attitude, the appearance, the swagger. So it is with agency credentials, writes Johanna McDowell, CEO of the Independent Agency Search and Selection Company (IAS).

It's long been my conviction that creativity alone may win awards, but if it doesn't win sales or new business for the client or brand, it's merely gilding. Now, in an environment that has changed rapidly recently and is presenting us with new challenges, it has never been more important to lead any pitch with return on investment (ROI).

This means that clients need to feel confident that an agency un...