Building The In-House Marketing Team Of The Future

Original article published in Forbes

Andrea Ruskin Forbes Councils Member

What does success look like for in-house agencies (IHAs)?

Just five years ago, IHAs were a hot trend in the marketing industry. Today, they’ve become standard practice for corporate marketing and communications functions. According to the 2023 ANA report, 82% of organizations now operate with an IHA, driven largely by the need for creative control and greater agility—especially as the pandemic reshaped business priorities.

However, many companies are not realizing the full potential of their IHAs. Instead, they stumble due to constant reorganization or, in some cases, dismantle these teams altogether, despite significant investments.

Why Is This Happening?

Why would a new CMO choose to break apart an internal studio or shut down an internal creative agency after all the time, money and effort spent building it?

The simple truth is that running an in-house agency within a corporate environment is not easy. Understanding how to properly integrate an internal team into the company’s larger ecosystem is fast becoming the “secret sauce” in marketing today.

Let’s dive into some of the challenges IHAs face and explore how executives can build the in-house marketing team of the future.

Are Teams Underperforming Or Is There Another Roadblock To Success?

IHAs are most powerful when they function as a cohesive unit, aligned with the organization’s overall marketing strategy. Yet, there are several common roadblocks that hinder their effectiveness. Below are three typical mistakes corporations make when working with in-house teams.

Lost In The Fog: No Clear Mission Or Road Map

An IHA needs a clear vision of what it is trying to achieve, along with a road map to get there. Without this clarity, teams operate in the dark, unsure of what their work is meant to accomplish.

Leaders must start by defining the mission. For example:

• Do you want to build a creative capability for high-value strategic work?

• Should the focus be on building a 24/7 production capability?

• Are you trying to reduce dependency on external agencies?

Success is impossible to measure without clear goals. Once the mission is established, the next step is determining which work should be produced in-house—and why. This requires developing criteria that help prioritize which tasks belong inside the IHA and which can be outsourced. If CMOs cannot answer these questions, they are not ready to pursue an in-house model.

Internal Alignment: Getting Everyone On Board

Once the mission is clear, buy-in from the entire organization is critical for success—from leadership to every department.

However, internal teams often face resistance from marketers who are reluctant to part with familiar external agency partners. These relationships, though often flawed, can be hard to let go of. Marketers may worry that internal teams will become an extension of the corporate machine, losing the responsiveness they need.

Additionally, confusion over roles or a lack of trust between internal departments can create more work than expected. For an IHA to thrive, it must be aligned with management from the beginning, helping smooth any tensions and ensure a cohesive approach.

Siloed Decision-Making: Fragmented Solutions

IHAs bring marketing closer to home, but if internal stakeholders aren’t fully connected, the operation can quickly unravel.

Different departments—such as marketing, finance, HR and procurement—often operate in silos. When they are out of sync, decision-making becomes fragmented, messaging inconsistent and solutions misaligned. This reactive posture results in missed opportunities that proactive planning could have addressed.

The Culture Gap: The Silent Saboteur

If IHAs don’t overcome these roadblocks, they can suffer from a culture gap—a disconnect that drains talent and weakens the organization. The biggest casualty of this gap? Creative skills.

Frustrated, under-challenged creative teams often seek agency jobs where their talents are better nurtured. Poor hiring decisions compound the problem when creatives are placed in operational roles, leaving their skills underutilized.

This culture gap erodes experimentation, stifles agility and bogs down teams in red tape. Without a bold, innovative approach, the IHA will fall behind, prioritizing internal politics over external client needs and creative excellence.

Rethinking Success: The Secret Sauce Of A Future-Proof IHA

For an IHA to truly stand out, it must go beyond merely replicating an external agency structure. Instead, it should integrate seamlessly into the broader corporate strategy, delivering creative excellence and cost-effective execution, while fostering a thriving creative culture.

So, what does the future of a successful IHA look like?

Crafting A High-Performing In-House Agency

A future-proof IHA requires a strategic focus on several key areas:

Defining Expertise And Roles

• Strategic Thinkers: Experts who translate brand storytelling into actionable strategies.

• Content Creators: Designers, writers and video producers who bring the story to life.

• Channel Specialists: Ensure that the right message reaches the right audience on the right platform.

• Data Analysts: Track performance, identify trends and refine strategies for better results.

Streamlining Collaboration

• Hold cross-functional workshops to gather insights from different departments.

• Use shared content calendars and workflow automation to align priorities and deadlines.

• Open communication channels to foster positive collaboration and feedback.

Investing In Growth

• Provide ongoing training in marketing trends and technologies.

• Encourage networking and attendance at industry events.

• Continuously measure performance and gather feedback for iterative improvement.

Conducting Your Marketing Symphony: Building The IHA Of The Future

The future of IHAs lies in fostering a collaborative spirit between departments and aligning the creative team with the company’s overall strategy. Leaders who can navigate these dynamics will create a flywheel effect, where early successes build momentum, driving further buy-in and creative breakthroughs.

By bringing together the collective expertise of your team, your IHA can become a finely tuned orchestra, delivering powerful marketing harmony. When done right, IHAs can evolve into the marketing powerhouses of tomorrow.