Why Most Agencies Are Just Vendors (And Why That’s a Problem)
Let’s play a game.
Picture your typical agency relationship.
You send over a request.
They nod enthusiastically and say, “On it.”
A week later, something lands in your inbox. You open it. You squint.
You think, “Huh. That’s… fine, I guess.”
This is what happens when your agency acts like a vendor.
They take the order. They fulfill the order. They vanish.
You didn’t hire a strategist. You hired a short-order cook.
And now your brand looks like it was plated at 2 a.m. by someone who wanted to clock out and microwave a burrito.
What Vendor Thinking Looks Like
“Need a new website?”
Here’s a template we’ve used seventeen times.
“Want email marketing?”
Let’s queue up a monthly newsletter that no one reads.
“Need graphics?”
Hope you like vague stock photos and a healthy splash of teal.
Vendors don’t ask what makes you different.
They don’t challenge your assumptions.
They don’t dig into your audience, your strategy, or why the last campaign face-planted.
They just deliver the thing.
And sure, it’s technically “done”...
But is it doing anything?
At Fervorfish, We’re Not in the Vending Business
We don’t sell cookie-cutter deliverables.
We don’t play buzzword bingo.
And we definitely don’t smile, nod, and execute ideas we know won’t work just to be polite.
Instead, we bring strategy to the surface because that’s where results live.
When a client needed a homepage refresh, we didn’t slap on new colors and call it a day. We restructured the layout, rewrote the content, and clarified the messaging to match what their users were actually looking for. Result? More leads. Fewer confused visitors. Way less apologizing for their website at networking events.
When someone asked us to “just make a few graphics for social,” we could’ve dropped in a trendy gradient and a buzzword or two. Instead, we asked: What’s the message? Who’s this for? How does this connect to your brand? The result was content that got saved, shared, and actually said something.
And when a client came to us with a great mission and a cold email list, we didn’t slap on a fresh banner and hit send. We rebuilt their strategy from the ground up: segmentation, narrative arcs, smart CTAs. Sales went up. Stress went down. Nobody cried into their analytics dashboard. Win-win.
That’s not magic.
That’s what happens when you do the job right.
We Don’t Just “Do Marketing.” We Think With You.
If you’re looking for a team that actually gives a damn, about your outcomes, your message, and your audience, we’re your people.
We’re the ones who’ll tell you when your CTA is confusing, your headline sounds like ChatGPT’s awkward cousin, and your email template belongs in 2006.
We won’t drown you in marketing jargon or hand you a deck full of buzzwords and vibes.
We believe in clear strategy, honest conversations, and creative work that pulls its weight.
No fluff. No ego. No “just checking in” emails that go nowhere.
The Real Problem with Vendor Mentality?
It feels efficient… until it doesn’t.
You get a website that looks good but doesn’t convert.
Graphics that match the mood board but not your message.
Email campaigns that cost money and return silence.
It’s hollow. Surface-level. Expensive in all the wrong ways.
And your audience can feel it.
You can feel it.
Eventually, your bottom line feels it too.
What We Are (And What We’re Not)
We are:
The team that keeps asking “why?” until we hit something that matters.
The ones who show up to consult, not just comply.
The people who rewrite the copy again because it still doesn’t feel like you.
We’re not:
A digital vending machine.
A yes-factory.
An agency that ghosts after the first invoice is paid.
We’re your creative partner, your strategy sounding board, and maybe, just maybe, your brand’s favorite smartass.
Ready for More Than a Vendor?
If you’re tired of pouring time and money into things that look good but fall flat...
If you want a team that will challenge your assumptions, celebrate your wins, and occasionally roast your font choices (gently)...
We’re Fervorfish.
We do digital media with brains, heart, and backbone.
We’re not here to push buttons.
We’re here to push your brand forward.
