2020 has ushered drastic changes for brands as they think about migrating to an in-house or hybrid model. In this article, Janine Flaccavento, SVP, media and new stream media solution lead at Merkle, offers insight into how agencies can help guide partners through the in-housing process.
In my last article, I provided a playbook to in-housing for brands and organizations looking for a place to get started. The drastic changes that 2020 has brought have made it the ideal time for brands to think about migrating to an in-house or hybrid model. But that does not mean they do not need the help of agencies to be a guide and a partner.
An Agency’s Evolving Role
Smart agencies had already started moving away from traditional business and service models before COVID hit, aligning their talent, thinking, and engagement models to be more consultative in nature.
Even as you move some of your traditional agency engagements in-house (media activation or creative production, for example), there is a meaningful role for your partners to play in your business.
Your eyes to the future
If your internal teams are focused on flawless execution, they may not have time to research and solve new technology. Leaning on an agency partner for a monthly or quarterly assessment on industry changes can be a great way to gather information, build use cases, and create a learning agenda that does not distract your team from their day-to-day work.
Your introduction to new partnerships
Agencies have great buying power with leading media and technology organizations. With this relationship comes joint business plans that allow for first looks at new features, the ability to consult on technology roadmaps, and in many cases, preferred rates. By leveraging an agency partnership, you can benefit financially and give your organization a first-to-market advantage.
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A fresh set of eyes
Sometimes you need a fresh point of view when building your in-house team, and an agency partner can provide this. It can come in the form of an audit against your operations or business goals for your internal agency. If you worked with an agency to help solve the right tech, organization design, and processes for your team, then have this same agency engage quarterly to audit your progress. It can push your team to think more strategically or be more efficient.
A teacher and trainer
In many cases, in-house agencies are created from within the organization, and people do not always have the deep subject matter expertise needed to train or upskill a team. Working with an agency to develop a curriculum and set live or virtual training can help you quickly ramp up your group and provide ongoing guidance for troubleshooting or monitoring their progress as they learn new skills and think differently about their role in your organization.
In-Housing Is Not A Bad Word
Many agencies are creating practices to be a partner for new and existing clients as they seek to bring teams or departments in-house. Do not be shy about sharing your short- and long-term ambitions for in-housing. Be upfront with your agency partner. Knowing the end goals you have in mind will allow them to steer you away from pitfalls, accelerate wins, and help you achieve your objectives faster and more efficiently.
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Redefine Your Agency Relationship
Start with a future-focused vision
Setting a defined vision for your in-house organization and sharing that vision with your agency partners will allow you both to be thinking about the team, ways of working, and delivery of great work through the same lens.
Plan for the unexpected
Whether it is a change brought on by technology, organizational realignment, or a global pandemic – have a plan that allows your in-house group and any agency partners to be nimble and react to changes while still delivering great work for your brands.
Find an experienced and collaborative guide.
Not everything is a core competency of your organization, so be open to partners who can help you strategize around changes in your industry or innovation that may impact your in-house practice. There is no one person at an agency that manages people, processes, technology, profitability, delivery, and partnerships. This is a collaborative, social, and innovative industry, so bring these tenets into your own organization and surround yourself with really smart people.
The best agency partners will not only have a point of view; they will have a practice dedicated to helping their clients through in-housing. 2020 has accelerated a lot of change and finding an agency that is adapting to, and solutioning for this change will provide you with the right guide as you continue down the in-housing path.