In-housing. Everything you want to know, but were afraid to ask.

As brands look for ways to boost efficiency, creativity, and control, In-housing is becoming an increasingly popular solution. Especially in the UK. Could it be the right move for your organisation too?

After leading and building in-house agencies for over 10 years, I was delighted to be invited to share my insights on the UK market, especially for regulated financial services, at the Marketing Innovation Executive Summit 2024 in Warsaw, Poland.

Unfamiliar with In-housing?

Despite this agency model’s growing reputation and popularity many organisations are still exploring what it means to bring creative capabilities in-house.

Whether you're starting to feel the pinch of external agency costs or looking for better ways to maintain brand consistency and ownership, my conference workshop was designed to help CMOs evaluate their options and get started.

Why In-housing could be your next step

Imagine a team immersed in your brand’s identity, values and audience. A team that knows your business inside out and can deliver fast, cost-effective solutions while maintaining control over sensitive data.

In-housing can offer all of this, but it’s never a one-size-fits-all solution.

The big advantages

By adopting an In-house model, organisations can unlock several big benefits:

Cost efficiency:

Save on external agency fees while producing high volumes of content.

Brand guardianship:

Ensure every touchpoint aligns with your identity and product/service benefits, a crucial advantage for highly regulated sectors like Financial Services (FS), where consistency and detail are key. This can lead to a stronger brand guardianship, integrating the brand across all touchpoints.

Speed and agility:

Since they share a deep understanding of the business goals, In-house teams can collaborate closely and efficiently to deliver projects at speed.

Data control:

Direct access to first-party data provides a more secure, data-driven approach to campaigns - especially important as cookies fade out. For industries like FS, In-housing can be particularly transformative. A dedicated team can ensure compliance with regulations while producing content at the scale required for pensions, insurance, asset management or banking communications.

Dedicated and aligned team:

In-house teams are fully invested in the brand's success. This fosters a unified sense of purpose and can lead to innovative marketing solutions and collaboration.

The big things to think about:

OK, time for a sense check.

Setting up and running an In-house team isn’t all sunshine and rainbows. Here are a few challenges to consider:

Finding and keeping great talent:

Attracting top creative professionals can be tricky, especially when you’re up against agencies that might seem to offer more freedom, brand variety or excitement. Once you’ve got the right people, keeping them happy and inspired is key.

Not every skill lives in-house:

Your team might not have everything you need for every project - think video production, advanced analytics, or complex animations. That’s why many companies go for a hybrid model, using their in-house hub for the scale of creative integrated campaigns and leaning on external partners for strategic and bigger brand projects.

Fresh ideas can dry up:

If your team is always working internally, it’s easy to miss out on the new ideas and perspectives that outside agencies can bring. Some external inspiration and fun, along with rotation opportunities, can go a long way.

Scaling can be tough:

Got a sudden big project? It’s not always easy for an in-house team to ramp up resources quickly as capacity is highly planned. But with a flexible approach with dedicated talent, you can scale up for project spikes.

Red tape slows things down:

Sometimes internal processes and approvals can drag, making those speedy turnarounds harder to achieve.

Let the numbers do the talking;

After all is said and done, those big benefits aren’t just theoretical:

In the UK 90% of marketers are either using or considering in-housing, according to the IPA.

Trends for 2025:

Here’s a peek at where In-housing is headed:

It’s here to stay:

In-housing isn’t just a buzzword anymore. It’s becoming a staple in how businesses approach marketing. The trend is only growing, with more brands seeing the value in bringing creative control closer to home.

From saving money to driving growth:

In-house teams aren’t just about cutting costs anymore. They’re stepping up as strategic partners, helping businesses grow and adapt to the shift from one-off campaigns to ‘always-on’ digital marketing with scale and reuse.

Tech and AI are game-changers:

AI and automation are reshaping how In-house teams work. From streamlining workflows to creating hyper-personalised content, content and visual prototypes, these tools are helping teams do more, faster.

Culture is everything:

Successful In-house agencies know that keeping their team motivated and collaborative with their brand or client partners is key. Whether it’s bringing in fresh ideas from outside or creating opportunities for talent to grow, building a strong culture isn’t just a nice to have anymore, it’s everything.

It’s all about the mix:

The future isn’t all ‘in-house’ or ‘all outsourced’, either. It’s a blend. Combining in-house teams with agency specialists and tech partners gives you the best of both worlds, making your marketing more flexible and creative. It’s no longer about lead agencies, it’s about all the specialists and In-house teams working together as a creative ecosystem.

What about regulated industries?

If you’re in a sector like Financial Services (FS) or Insurance, there are a few extra considerations to think about when it comes to In-housing. These industries operate under stricter rules, but the insights here can apply to any business managing complexity at scale:

Compliance is key:

For industries where getting messaging wrong isn’t an option, like FS, In-house teams need to be on top of regulations. Building expertise in compliance ensures your work is right the first time.

Specialist know-how matters:

Creating campaigns for financial products takes robust governance. In-house planners who can connect the dots between business strategy and creative execution are worth their weight in gold.

Content at scale? No problem:

FS companies often deal with a significant amount of content from always on social and trade display through to literature and customers comms. AI and automation can streamline production, and offshoring routine work can often keep costs down. Key is making sure your In-house team has the skills needed. Even outside FS, these strategies are useful for any industry with high content demands.

So, is In-housing for you?

Assess your needs and capabilities:

Before deciding on In-housing, thoroughly evaluate the core services you need to supply your ‘always-on’ work.

Making the shift to In-housing doesn’t mean you have to go all in.

Many successful models blend the strengths of In-house teams with external agency partners, creating a blended approach that balances cost-efficiency with creative expertise.

By starting small with tests and proof of concepts, you can discover the right mix for you, whilst evolving your ways of working.

Prioritise talent and culture:

In-housing works best when you build a team that thrives on collaboration and innovation. Think about whether you can create an environment that attracts top talent and keeps them motivated.

If you're ready to invest in developing and maintaining a strong culture of talent, In-housing could be a game-changer.

Whether you’re in Retail, FS, or any other sector, in-housing could be the next step to transforming your creative services.

Vicky Hope

Co-Founder LOOP Agencies

Transforming creative services for regulated industries.

(London and Edinburgh, UK)

Olgierd Cygan

Managing Partner at Future.Company and Smart Engine.

(Lodz, Poland)