From Match.com and OkCupid to Hinge and Tinder, online and mobile applications are taking the dating world by storm, however, the algorithm-driven processes used by these sites don’t work for finding agency relationships. Data-centric tools such as Sortlist claim to help marketers find their “soul mate” agency, much like what Match.com promises to do for singles. Sortlist and similar platforms use system intelligence to match an advertising agency and in-house marketers looking for services. But an algorithm will never be able to replace real human connection when it comes to matching agencies and companies. The AOR Model Goes MIA Today, the traditional “agency of record” model is rapidly disintegrating. Clients used to be willing to ride out the valleys of their agency relationships, knowing that the peak was around the corner. As the number of advertising disciplines continues to increase, clients are less likely to believe that any one agency can be an expert in all of them, so they seek specialists for each task. This changes their agency relationships as well, causing them to switch partners on a project-by-project basis — and making it all the more tempting to use an automated system for the selection process. Where’s the Chemistry? Marketers don’t just need an agency that meets their advertising and communications needs, they need to share a special chemistry with a partner. Tools such as Sortlist attempt to speed up the process by using context and data, but no amount of technical intricacy can mimic the human touch provided by consultants, recommendations, and word of mouth. People in the agency world understand this better than people in any other industry. Our work is based on the fact that buying decisions are rooted in emotion–that’s [...]