Reimagining the In-House Agency

For years, in-house agencies (IHAs) have been the holy grail of marketing efficiency. They were faster, cheaper, and closer to the brand than relying on external agencies and partners. But today, as budgets tighten and speed-to-market is measured in days, not months, strategy can feel outdated even before launch. And many companies are rethinking the equation: What belongs in-house? What should be outsourced, or automated? And where does AI fit in? 

Market forces from cost-cutting pressures to evolving talent needs are influencing in-house agency structures. At the same time, external factors such as a changing political climate and rapid technological advances mean campaigns must evolve in real time. Generative AI has also transformed how strategy and storytelling come together. And the rise of “vibe marketing,” where campaigns are built around mood, movement, and cultural resonance rather than hard data or demographics, reflects a new creative instinct powered by AI tools. 

Even high-profile internal shops aren’t immune to the shift. Liquid Sunshine, the award-winning in-house agency behind Keurig Dr Pepper, was recently dismantled as they chose to move away from their in-house creative model. And while Mark Zuckerberg predicted that AI will eventually take over agency work, the reality today is far from apocalyptic. Instead, it is ushering in an era of nimble decision-making that blends human creativity with AI-driven insight.

From Consolidated to Connected: How AI Is Rewriting the IHA Playbook 

For many IHAs, capabilities can lag behind ambition: A 2025 Gartner survey found more than a quarter of CMOs have limited or no AI adoption in their marketing campaigns. That gap is forcing teams to make critical choices about how to build, buy, or borrow the technology they need to stay competitive.

Some brands are building proprietary AI systems: A massive technical and financial lift that demands new governance frameworks and training programs. For example, Adobe leverages the tools created for external partners for in-house work. Second Wave, the IHA for Aimbridge Hospitality, created closed-source, proprietary AI platforms that allow new hotels and projects to autonomously jumpstart brand-building. 

Other IHAs are partnering with external agencies that have their own AI infrastructure, a choice that can unlock efficiency but sometimes means ceding a bit of control. U.S. Bank, for example, has developed a hybrid approach, using agency Supergood for heavier lifts, while using their own in-house systems for everyday marketing efforts.  

Either way, workflows are being rewritten. The once-clear boundaries between internal and external teams are blurring, requiring tighter communication, shared platforms, and co-created content pipelines. Unilever’s Beauty AI Studio is a perfect example. “We used to send briefs off and get content back. Now it’s this agile, iterative approach,” Selina Sykes, Global VP and Head of Marketing Transformation for Beauty and Wellbeing, told Digiday about how the beauty brand is shifting.  

Turning Pressure into Possibility 

In-house agencies are at an inflection point. The pressure to do more with less can feel relentless. But it’s also sparking innovation. Constraints are forcing teams to rethink legacy structures, pilot new workflows, and uncover efficiencies that create both creative and budgetary flex. 

The first move is clarity. Map how work actually gets done … not how it’s supposed to get done. Identify bottlenecks, overlapping roles, and where technology is underused or skills are lagging. A fresh set of eyes can help: many brands are bringing in consultancies or external auditors to benchmark performance and uncover hidden inefficiencies. 

From there, experiment in controlled environments. Pilot hybrid workflows that combine AI-assisted production with human oversight. Start with lower-stakes campaigns to test new processes, clarify ownership, and measure output. The goal isn’t to do everything internally, but to decide what belongs in-house, what can be automated, and what’s best handled by trusted partners.

Upskilling is critical. As creative, marketing, and tech roles continue to converge, AI fluency and cross-functional collaboration are becoming baseline expectations. Teams that invest in training now will be better positioned to lead, not follow, as tools and platforms evolve. Just as important is finding the right partners who complement internal strengths, bring specialized expertise, and can flex as priorities shift. 

If projects stall in approvals, campaigns feel repetitive, or AI tools sit idle, those are signs it’s time for your IHA to recalibrate, not rebuild. The strongest IHAs see transformation as a continuous cycle of testing, learning, and scaling what works. Because at this turning point, the real advantage isn’t size or spend. It’s the ability to stay flexible, adapt fast, and turn every constraint into a catalyst for better work. 

The Future of IHAs is Human 

The next era of in-house work isn’t defined by automation. It’s defined by alignment: between people and platforms, insight and execution, creativity and technology. Because while AI may be able to execute campaigns, it’s people who decide which campaigns matter. Teams are the connective tissue that allow brands to pivot, sense cultural shifts, and build authentic identity in ways only humans can. 

Creative Circle helps brands build flexible, future-ready teams that blend human expertise with emerging technology. Whether you’re reimagining your IHA or exploring AI-enhanced workflows, we can help you find the right mix of people, partners, and potential.  

About the Author: Anna Davies is a Creative Circle freelancer who specializes in personal finance, investing, fintech, and startups. She has worked with WeWork, Happy Money, and Haven Life —plus Fortune 500 companies such as Goldman Sachs, American Express, Citi, and Chase. Davies has also collaborated and ghostwritten for multiple New York Times bestsellers. 

In the past two years, AI innovation has swept through all facets of the marketing world, from hiring to deployment. While AI has always run in the background, now it’s become front and center, raising potential for efficiency and innovation — alongside concerns and frustrations. Employers who prioritize the intersection of human potential and technology will not only keep pace—they’ll lead.

Integrating a Human Touch in Talent Recruitment

Tech tools were supposed to make it easier and more efficient to hire best-in-class talent. And yet, both talent and employers still face frustrations over applicant tracking systems (ATS) which are used by nearly all Fortune 500 companies. LinkedIn and Reddit boards are full of stories from talent and recruiters alike, frustrated that the best talent can sometimes be overlooked, including a viral story of a manager whose own resume was rejected by the ATS, leading him to realize a code error was auto-rejecting all applicants.

Relying on applicant tracking systems alone can also open employers to vulnerabilities: AI platforms can raise bias, fairness, and equity concerns, with one hiring platform even facing a lawsuit alleging the platform’s AI-based hiring tools are discriminatory. And candidates too, can use AI tools to enhance and tailor their resumes for positions they might not be qualified for: According to one 2023 survey conducted by resume services company Standout CV, nearly three-quarters of job candidates would consider using AI tools to “embellish their resumes.”

To address these challenges, organizations should invest in hybrid recruitment models that blend AI efficiency with human oversight. This helps to ensure fairness, reduce errors, and align hiring practices with organizational values.

Having a Strong Tech POV for Maximum Results

Generative AI has significantly disrupted and impacted creative work, from ideation to execution, and the results have hit mainstream conversation. For example, an AI-made update of a classic holiday Coca-Cola commercial generated controversy, and AI integration into the popular Spotify Wrapped has also drawn mixed reactions. Ultimately, the outcome still matters, and the most successful teams in the future will likely be the ones that can integrate AI tools to boost efficiency and innovation, while using a human touch to ensure projects align with core values.

There’s also the concern over “non-authorized AI use;” Creatives who are bringing AI tools into the office without disclosure or approval, raising concerns over privacy, copyright, and more. One 2024 report published by LinkedIn and Microsoft found that 78% of workers — especially those at small and mid-size companies — are bringing their own AI tools into work, and more than half of them are reluctant to admit to using it, due to concerns that doing so might make them seem replaceable.

Employers can mitigate these risks by developing clear guidelines on how and when AI tools should be used. This not only fosters transparency but also empowers employees to leverage AI responsibly for better results.

Building a Holistic Tech-Integrated Strategy for Everyday Tasks

Tech tools can be invaluable — but it’s key that all parties feel confident using them to enhance the KPIs and goals of the department. While AI potential has only increased, new data from Slack’s Workforce Index Study has found that there has been stagnation in AI adoption, partially due to lack of training.

Marketing departments also face the problem of too much tech, not enough talent. One 2023 study found that marketers only use about one-third of their stack, partially due to a skills gap within their teams.

To bridge this divide, organizations can continue to prioritize ongoing training and bring in outside experts to maximize the stack.

Looking forward, thoughtful tech adoption can parallel alongside robust talent development. By fostering a culture of innovation and integration, employers can transform AI and tech tools into catalysts for creativity, efficiency, and growth.

hand pointing forward towards 2025 graphic

Talent and Tech: The Path Forward in 2025

Our new report, Finding the Human Edge: Where Talent Meets Technology, explores key trends at the intersection of talent and technology. With more tech advancements on the horizon, it’s clear that AI and human talent are complementary. The companies who are poised to succeed will be prepared to integrate AI efficiencies alongside human innovation.

At Creative Circle, our human recruiters identify the right candidates and teams for your marketing and creative projects. By forging transformative relationships, we ensure your pain points are solved with top-tier talent, backed by deep industry expertise. From building creative teams to evolving marketing strategies and maximizing tech stacks, we help you exceed your goals and drive meaningful results.

It’s no surprise that “freedom” means different things to different people — but what does it mean to creative professionals as it relates to work? 

We are experiencing an ongoing revolution in the workplace. Traditional ideas about knowledge work are dissolving, and as a society, we are undergoing a radical change in how we think of work — especially for those who work in creative industries.

For decades, scientists have known that creativity often grows in a non-linear fashion and that creatives tend to be more neurotic and antisocial than others — aka, they live more in the world of daydreams and require some solitude to produce quality work.

Neuroscientists who study creativity find that it does not involve a single brain region or side of the brain as the “right brain” myth of creativity suggests; rather, it draws on the brain as a whole. The complex process of “creativity” comprises many interconnected unconscious and conscious cognitive systems and emotions, with discrete areas of the brain recruited to handle each task and work in concert to get the job done.

Creatives don’t always follow the classic 9-to-5 workweek flow, finding that doing work at night or early in the morning is often more beneficial. In other words, thinking out of the box is hard when you’ve been put into one. It’s fair to say that social environments can adversely impact creativity.

So, when are people most creative? A large study by researchers at the University of California at Berkeley sought to better understand what drives creativity. They collected daily electronic logs from nearly 240 professionals working on 26 distinct creative projects, who reported on their emotions and perceptions of their work environment, along with their motivation and one notable event from each day.

They found that of all the positive events reported in the nearly 12,000 diaries collected, the most significant factors for generating positive emotions and perceptions of their work environment was making progress in meaningful work — moving forward on something that matters. They were not only more productive on those days, but more creative, too. Simply put, creativity has a lot to do with setting up the right work environment to allow motivation and imagination to thrive.

But the right environment isn’t the same for everyone.

For some, working from home stifles creativity because collaboration via Zoom doesn’t get their creative juices going vroom. In contrast, others find open office setups and their attendant distractions a major creativity killer. Recent research published in the journal Nature, based on fieldwork in five countries, found that video conferencing inhibits the production of creative ideas. But they also found that video conferencing was as effective as in-person meetings for choosing which innovative ideas to pursue, essentially proving that some folks prefer vanilla ice cream while others prefer strawberry (just kidding, sort of).

We set out to see what were the most essential creative workplace freedoms for Creative Circlers. While everyone wants control over their general process — including where, when, for whom, and on what they work — we learned that some aspects are definitely more important than others. To uncover which work freedoms matter most, we crafted a LinkedIn poll to which over 6,000 people responded.

We broke things down by looking at the overarching question: Which freedom is your #1 priority?

And these were the options:

  • Working with whom I want
  • Working where I want
  • Working when I want
  • Doing the work I want to do

Can you guess which option creatives valued most?

In this new age of widespread digital nomadism, we guessed that “working where I want” would take the cake. While this ranked high, there was something that mattered even more…

Here’s how our results broke out:

  • Doing the work I want to do: 41%
  • Working where I want: 34%
  • Working when I want: 21%
  • Working with whom I want: 4%

The number one thing for Creative Circlers? “Doing the work I want to do” — echoing the results of the Berkeley study.

Creativity is crucial for companies. It’s one of the elusive characteristics that managers seek in their employees so that their organizations can stay ahead in today’s cutthroat new-new-new marketplace. Research suggests that businesses would do well to remember that creativity is as much about communicating with creatives to set up the right work environment that lets motivation and imagination juices flow as it is about finding the right candidates.

People are most creative when motivated by interest, sincere enjoyment, and satisfaction with the work itself. That’s important for both creatives and those that employ them to remember.

About the author. 

An award-winning creator and digital health, wellness, and lifestyle content strategist—Karina writes, produces, and edits compelling content across multiple platforms—including articles, video, interactive tools, and documentary film. Her work has been featured on MSN Lifestyle, Apartment Therapy, Goop, Psycom, Yahoo News, Pregnancy & Newborn, Eat This Not That, thirdAGE, and Remedy Health Media digital properties and has spanned insight pieces on psychedelic toad medicine to forecasting the future of work to why sustainability needs to become more sustainable.