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.

In the quest to optimize budgets without sacrificing quality, CFOs and procurement professionals are turning to the "In-house Agency as a Service" model. Offering a unique blend of cost-effectiveness and specialized expertise, on-site agencies are redefining the value proposition in marketing expenditure.

The modern digital landscape has blurred the lines between in-house marketing teams and external agencies. "In-house Agency as a Service" emerges as a transformative solution, merging the intimacy of internal teams with the expertise of external agencies. This model is not just a cost-saving measure; it's a strategic move for professionalising in-house marketing operations, ensuring rapid scalability, and leveraging the best of MarTech tools.

As businesses further embrace MarTech and AI, the intertwining challenge of compliance grows stronger. These powerful tools that shape our digital experiences bring with them responsibilities that businesses can't afford to neglect. At the heart of this is the novel solution: on-site agencies.

In an age where regulations and laws evolve at an unprecedented rate, ensuring marketing compliance is no longer just a nice-to-have—it's imperative. Fines, reputational damage, and lost consumer trust are just the tip of the iceberg for companies that fall foul of compliance. For CFOs, CMOs, and legal teams, finding a solution that effortlessly marries creativity with compliance is the new challenge. Enter the on-site agency, a game-changer in the realm of compliant marketing.

Traditionally, corporations have been stuck in a dilemma. External agencies, while bringing in a fresh perspective, often come with high overheads, unpredictable costs, and occasional misalignment with the company's core values and objectives. On the other hand, entirely in-house teams can sometimes lack the specialized skills or the latest market insights.

This inconsistency not only impacts the financial health of the organization but also leaves CFOs in a constant quest for a more sustainable, predictable, and quality-centric solution.

The Need for Scalability in Dynamic Business Environments. In an era of rapid technological change and unpredictable market dynamics, the ability to scale business functions has become paramount. This is especially true for marketing, a domain perpetually in flux, where brands are constantly vying for consumer attention. Today, companies can't just be good—they need to be agile and scalable.

The digital transformation wave has impacted various facets of businesses, reshaping how they function and serve their customers. As a core function, marketing has yet to be untouched in many companies. But now, the traditional boundaries of in-house teams and external agencies are blurring. Enter the concept of the "In-house Agency as a Service.

In recent decades, we've been witnesses to a series of revolutions in the business world. Digital transformation, for one, has rippled across industries, heralding changes in the way businesses operate and serve their clientele. Today, we stand on the cusp of another seismic shift—one that may forever alter the marketing landscape.