WHY IN-HOUSE AGENCIES STILL NEED OUTSIDE HELP

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Last year, Ad Age reported (click here) on the skyrocketing growth of internal agencies with 78 percent of members of the Association of National Advertisers reporting some form of in-house agency. 

While this may seem like an alarming statistic to traditional advertising agencies, it really shouldn’t be.  One of the primary reasons for the rise in in-house agencies is the increasing demand for branded content and the ability to produce it on a daily basis to feed content strategies.  Some agencies have done a better job than others of recognizing this market need and adapting their business models while others have been slower to catch on.

However, whether your agency offers branded content development or not, agencies still offer value to advertisers with in-house agencies.  Here are the top 3 reasons:

  1. Outsider Perspective – Your agency is an independent partner tasked with driving results for your brand.  That independence allows for the development of ideas without restriction, which can help lead to work that breaks through category norms or challenges conventional thinking.

  2. Talent – The most talented creative professionals are drawn to creative environments where they have the opportunity to work on various brands and marketing challenges and rub shoulders with others in their industry.  Even some of the best designed and run in-house agencies are still operated within a corporate environment with corporate standards and more oversight, which may be less appealing for some.

  3. Cost Savings – Marketing needs can vary throughout the year.  This can make it challenging to have the appropriate level of staff available at all times or to make operations financially efficient.  Agencies can assist in picking up the slack throughout the year with an ever-ready talent pool that knows your brand and your team.

Of course there are more than 3 reasons to consider investing in an ongoing relationship with an agency partner for ancillary services.  But the overall benefit is helping you run your in-house agency more effectively and efficiently.  

To learn more about VWA, visit our website, www.vwaatlanta.com or call 404-355-0127.