Why the grass is still greener at agencies

 21st Feb 2019

Why is it becoming so rare to see marketers move from client-side to agency roles these days? Don’t get us wrong, working in-house offers many lucrative benefits. Who wouldn’t love focusing on one brand and growing its market share! 

At the heart of the creative process 

We understand that Netflix’s hit series, Mad Men, didn’t exactly paint the best picture of the ad agency industry. And while this may have been true in the 1960s; things have radically changed since then. Retaining its fast paced DNA, agencies are now known as culturally diverse organisations that are taking ad execution to new heights. Presenting a unique opportunity to work with a wide range of clients and a real chance to further enhance your skills, are some of the reasons why marketers love working at agencies. And, here’s some more reasons why you will succeed in this space: 

• More the merrier – At an agency, you’re no longer working for one brand. Instead, you’re delivering hard earned wins to multiple clients which can be incredibly rewarding. You’re also in an environment where brand bias is removed from the creative process. After learning from numerous marketing mishaps, most brands are now aware of taking on board external perspective. Let us remind you of the pitfalls when this doesn’t happen – remember the Pepsi commercial with Kendall Jenner? 

• Faster learning – It’s clear why life at agencies is fast paced. And given the amount of client projects you will work on and the speed of delivery, naturally indicates that you will learn at a faster rate at an agency. Still not sure about the working environment or culture? We suggest you browse Glassdoor, and look up agencies that capture your interest and read through their employee reviews. 

• Tech, tech, boom – Delivering quality ROI to clients is at the forefront of every campaign strategy which is why great agencies are masters of the technical and creative process. And it doesn’t stop there. Agencies also recognise the importance of investing in tech to give their teams all the necessary tools to execute their work effectively. 

Community Matters

Feeling alone working in-house? Well, you’re not the only one that feels this way. Recently, Digi Day interviewed experienced marketer, Abdul Ovaice, whose past positions include creative director at Uber and Art director at Apple. During the interview he mentions that that you can often feel like ‘you’re a lone wolf [working in-house]”. 

Within an agency, there is a real sense of community. Working in teams, you’re constantly bouncing creative ideas off your colleagues and helping one another to deliver stellar campaigns. Here’s a couple of other reasons why you should consider working for an agency: 

• No ‘i’ in team – From an in-house perspective, it’s difficult to execute tasks that were once outsourced. You’re often expected to be a jack of all trades! In comparison, agencies are a team full of experts. Whether its hearing your senior colleagues pitching new business, or supporting your colleagues with compiling reports, your teams will help you grow within your role. 

• Creating impact – Many in-house marketers admit they like the feeling in control of their brand. However, it’s arguable that most of their time is spent monitoring agencies and approving their work. And when it comes to execution – agencies are arguably doing most of the work. 

There’s no question that candidates working across the digital landscape are spoilt for choice. Whether you choose to work in-house or for an agency, is down to what you want for your career. Whether you want control over creativity, or, fast growth over steady development, is entirely your decision. But, when it’s time to make that decision, make sure you take a look at what agencies can offer you. 

Now let’s talk more about you. If you’re a media expert looking to connect with leading digital companies and open to exploring new opportunities, get in touch with our Pivotal team today. 

View all of our available Media roles here