In-house agency playbook—3 ways brands can find top-performing talent

When brands started building in-house creative agencies a decade ago, they were seen as a novelty. But today, what was once believed to be a flash in the pan has had lasting power beyond anyone’s expectation. In a 2023 ANA study, 82% of brands reported having an in-house agency, up from 58% a decade earlier and 42% in 2008. I rode the in-house agency wave and created this function over time, but I have to admit, it was like building a plane on the runway. To say we learned a lot along the way is an understatement, so it's no surprise that brands have not always followed a straight line in their in-house agency pursuits. Vodafone, for example, put its in-house efforts on hiatus to regroup before rebooting, and Intel pulled back on its all-in approach after a decade of investment.