ORLANDO – The growing number of brands choosing to undertake the traditional functions of their ad agencies under their own roof may seem to pose a threat.
After all, the number of US brands which have launched in-house agencies has reached 78% – up from 58% in 2013, according to the ANA’s In-House Agency Report.
But traditional ad agencies can stay in business by embracing the in-housing trend.
That is according to one agency boss whose company has just merged with a sibling in order to respond to a changing industry.
“In the last several years, it’s become clear that there will be and there needs to be an in-house solution,” says Jon Cook, VMLY&R global CEO, in this video interview with Beet.TV
“The smarter agencies aren’t too precious about that … (they) recognize that it creates efficiency, creates impact, and it can be a faster way and a better way for your work to get out if it’s done right. The smarter agencies have embraced a certain level of it.”
Cook’s VMLY&R may sound like a mouthful. It is the merger of WPP’s VML and Y&R, announced last year “to deliver a contemporary, fully integrated digital and creative offering to clients on a global scale”.
But the combined unit units the digitla focus of the former VML with the historic creative nous of Y&R (Young & Rubicam), founded in 1923.
In the 21st Century, Cook says the brand in-housing trend can even benefit agencies.
“It helps you as an agency be even more clear and more acute about what your value is,” he adds.
This video is part of Beet.TV’s coverage of the ANA In-House Agency Conference. This series is sponsored by Extreme Reach. For more videos please visit this page.
