1 minute read
OLIVER’s Marketing and the Future of In-Housing event
By Alex Steele
This event was held over 2 days in September 2022. Day One was in the US and Day Two in London, with all content accessible from both continents. AAR attended the UK event in person, along with a vibrant mix of CMOs and in-house agency practitioners. There were several great presentations and on-stage conversations throughout the day. Here are the edited highlights.
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The morning started strongly with a broad perspective from Simon Martin and Rachel Hatton of Oliver. They discussed the hot topics around creativity in-house, attracting, retaining and growing talent, and how inhousing can make the ‘Cheap Quick Good’ triangle a reality, but that creativity is still king and that creative agencies still have an important role to play.
It was good to get under the bonnet of the Barclays and Barclaycard’s in-house team with Paul Alexander, particularly the importance of having comms planners as part of the team; something we are seeing more and more. Paul also talked through how their hybrid model works with external agencies, an in-sourced agency and in-house team.
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BBC at the time but has since founded Meanwhile, was especially insightful. As two of the best examples of in-house agencies, it was fascinating to hear the reasons why BBC Creative and Specsavers are seen as ‘best in class’. Part of the formula is their creative ambition, that they judge work as agencies judge work, and judge themselves against external agencies by entering mainstream awards schemes. Additionally, being a national treasure or purpose driven brand helps. That combination helps recruitment, keeps creatives stimulated, and is a selffulfilling prophecy.
While in-housing continues to rise, it is still a big decision for any CMO. It is also a path well-travelled, and the event provided insights into the factors to consider to navigate the journey successfully. It was also clear that external agencies have a vital role to play in the ecosystem, there is room for both and, when they work together effectively, hybrid teams can deliver great creative and commercial results. ●
