Speaking at Interpublic Group's day-long charm offensive on Monday, Steve Blamer, ceo of IPG's Foote Cone & Belding network, serenaded investors and analysts with a song he knew they knew to be music to the ears of major advertisers.

Payment by results. Or in Blamer's words: "Putting skin in the game."

He is far from the first to sing this catchy song, although the chorale's main volume emanates clientside. But insiders say many of the moneymen were humming the tune as they left the presentation.

In evangelical mode, Blamer claimed a results-based remuneration model would be more profitable than current fee/commission arrangements. It would create higher agency margins and deepen relationships with clients. "Pay me based on results," Blamer entreated.

McCann Worldgroup ceo John Dooner also took up the refrain of agency-client relationships, arguing that these can be sealed with the love-potion of creativity.

"Creativity is the cornerstone of what we do. And it's forever," Dooner emoted, while conceding that integration and measurable results are equally as important to increasingly demanding clients.

Worldgroup companies strive together across different disciplines, continued Dooner, to accomplish that mission in terms of integration and measurable results.

Data sourced from AdWeek (USA); additional content by WARC staff