How to build a creative team that actually works (and doesn’t burn out by Q2)

There comes a moment in every marketer’s life where they look at yet another bloated agency invoice—two concepts, three status meetings, and one half-hearted round of revisions—and think: Surely, there must be a better way. That moment, for many, is the quiet beginning of an in-house revolution.

Of course, “in-housing” isn’t new. It’s been around as long as bored interns and whiteboards. But the past few years have turned it from a curiosity into a serious strategic play. Why? Because marketing has changed. It’s faster. Messier. More fragmented. And let’s be honest—no one has time for the slow waltz of traditional agency models anymore.

What companies need now is speed without sloppiness. Control without creative suffocation. Consistency without becoming dull. Enter: the in-house agency.

In-house or external? It’s the wrong question.
The smartest brands aren’t choosing one over the other. They’re building creative systems that give them both – speed, control, and consistency from the inside, with the strategic lift and perspective of the outside. This article explores how hybrid models work in practice, and why letting external partners build your in-house setup might be the smartest move you make.

What if the best way to go in-house… is to ask someone outside to build it?
This article explores the rise of external agencies running in-house teams — not as service providers, but as system architects. From incubator models to embedded leadership and full operational takeovers, it’s a smart, scalable way to build internal creative power without starting from zero. Not a paradox. A playbook.

The most effective creative setups today aren’t in-house or external. They’re both.
This article explores the rise of on-site agencies — external partners embedded inside the organization — and why they’re outperforming traditional models by combining brand intimacy with creative friction. Based on insights from the 2025 In-House Barometer, this is what the hybrid future of marketing really looks like.

How ZITE helped Multi-Wing redefine its visual identity—with a playful twist

At ZITE, we live and breathe in-house agency models, helping brands streamline creative processes and sharpen their storytelling. But every so often, we take on a project that calls for fresh thinking outside our usual domain—like when Multi-Wing came knocking, ready to ditch the expected and embrace something a little more exciting.

The decision to establish an in-house agency is often not solely a marketing-driven initiative. Instead, C-level leadership plays a major role in whether a company formally builds an in-house team or allows one to evolve over time.

Our data shows that 68% of upper management (executive leadership) and 55.4% of board-level respondents report having the highest level of decision power (rating of 5). Meanwhile, mid-level marketing professionals—who are often responsible for day-to-day creative execution—have influence (41.3% rank their power at 4), but rarely full authority over structural decisions. This suggests that the choice to invest in in-house capabilities is often driven by broader business strategy, not just marketing needs.

We have taken a deep dive into the numbers of prestigious industry awards the data underscores the significant rise of in-house agencies over the past decade. At the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, the growth of in-house participation and success is particularly striking.

The traditional divide between in-house marketing teams and external agencies is rapidly dissolving. At ZITE, we’ve observed firsthand how in-house agencies are transforming from corporate support functions into vibrant, creative powerhouses. Our latest endeavor, the 2024 In-House Barometer Study, delves deep into this transformation, revealing how in-house teams are not just adapting but leading the charge in creative and strategic innovation.

Media buying—should it stay in-house or go to an agency? If only the decision were that straightforward. The truth is, in-housing is far from a binary choice. It's more like a spectrum of possibilities, each with its own perks and pitfalls, depending on the size, focus, and goals of a company. And it’s this spectrum that’s shaping the future roles of agencies, advertisers, and publishers.

So, what does this distribution of roles look like going forward? Who’s best positioned to connect all the dots in a way that makes sense for everyone involved?

The perennial debate of in-house versus outsourced marketing continues to puzzle companies of all sizes. Each approach boasts its own unique advantages and drawbacks, leaving you to ponder which truly aligns with your specific needs and objectives. However, a crucial element often overlooked is the importance of actively measuring and comparing the efficiency of both models.

The 2024 In-House Barometer Study reveals an intriguing correlation: Larger companies often boast more extensive in-house teams.

Remember when marketing plans were set in stone? Well, not anymore. We're in an era where being nimble is the new black. Gone are the days when a yearly marketing plan could be created, approved, and then executed without significant changes. In today’s ever-changing environment, flexibility and agility are not just desirable in marketing; they are essential. A marketing organization's ability to adapt quickly to market changes, consumer behaviour shifts, and technological advancements is a critical determinant of its success. 

Historically, businesses have grappled with a choice: build an in-house team that deeply understands the brand but may lack external perspectives or hire external agencies for their fresh insights but with potential disconnects in company culture. This dichotomy often resulted in challenges regarding career development, creative constraints, and resource management.​

The "In-house Agency as a Service" model ushers in a transformative phase in marketing management. It combines the close familiarity of in-house teams with the wide-ranging expertise and scalability of external agencies.

Companies bringing their marketing efforts in-house is a growing trend in recent years. From social media and content creation to media buying and campaign development, businesses are investing in talent to handle these tasks internally. This shift has proven successful for many companies in terms of both creative campaign awards and effectiveness, as it keeps marketing efforts closer to the core of the business.

However, in-house marketing teams sometimes struggle to find time for creativity and a fresh perspective. To better understand the current state of in-house marketing, we conducted this study, receiving more than 1,200 responses from the European business world. This report aims to gauge their thoughts and feelings about in-house marketing, to identify differences between in-house and outsourced marketing work, and to uncover both models’ perceived advantages and disadvantages.

It is no easy task to run an agency, whether it is in-house or a traditional agency. But from our experience, in-house setups often face other challenges compared to their external counterparts.

So, we asked the teams to identify the greatest challenges they currently face. Here are the Top Ten Challenges in order of frequency:

Marketing teams worldwide are doing okay, but "okay" isn't enough. A recent study by the WFA shows we can do much better if we focus on teamwork and measuring our success the right way. Here's a friendly guide to help us all step up our game

Have you ever tried to solve a puzzle, only to find a piece missing? Frustrating, isn’t it? The world of marketing often feels akin to this—a jigsaw puzzle with that one elusive piece always just out of reach. Could co-creation be the piece we've been so fervently searching for?

Creativity is the lifeblood of innovative marketing campaigns. Yet, as in-house teams expand and the weight of corporate culture sets in, that vibrant creative pulse can start to wane. Remember, sometimes, two heads truly are better than one.