This blog series was inspired by an industry piece I was asked to write for Business of The Media recently. A short sharp view of what’s working and what’s not in the media agency world and I realised I had a lot more to say on the subject.
I’ll share, over this series, where I believe media agencies are (or could be) thriving, where they’re stuck, and how I think they can reclaim their rightful place as a strategic pillar in communication planning.
I always find the best place to start is with what’s working. And let’s be honest, there is a lot that is working… when it’s actually working.
Media agencies hold the deepest, rarest skill sets in the ecosystem. They offer true integration - the place where legacy meets digital, where eyeballs still equal impact. They’re often one of the few in the room who know how the whole machine fits together. They understand audiences in ways algorithms still don’t and it’s a skill that blends data fluency and human insight. They should be fluent in both legacy and emerging media, and in platforms most people can only skim the surface of. From AI-powered planning to Account-Based Marketing, from geo-fencing to full-funnel attribution, this is not just tactical execution - it’s scientific orchestration.
Why? They speak a rare language - part logic, part instinct - that blends audience understanding with channel expertise, platform knowledge with commercial acumen. They are a bastion of real integration, where legacy media collides with digital precision, and where the pursuit of outcomes, not just outputs, still matters.
While others chase impressions, media agencies are building impact.
They understand audiences in ways algorithms don’t. They can spot patterns in chaos, find efficiencies in complexity, and design full-funnel solutions that actually convert. They aren’t guessing where your audience is - they already know, because they’ve been tracking them across formats, touchpoints, behaviours, and devices long before it was fashionable to talk about omnichannel anything. And it’s time we called it what it is: mastery.
Part of the problem is invisibility. Media agencies are so good at making things run smoothly, they’re often invisible when they do. But invisibility shouldn’t be confused with irrelevance. In fact, it’s the opposite. When creative is fragmented, budgets are shrinking, and consumers are disappearing into ever-narrower niches, media agencies are the ones still building bridges between it all.
If we want better campaigns, sharper results, and more connected communication strategies, then we need to stop treating media like an afterthought. Start by recognising their strength. Invite them in earlier. Let them challenge your thinking. Let them build the outcome with you, not just execute it.
Because when media leads with you, things work. And when it doesn’t, we’re just throwing money into noise.
In the next blog, I’ll explore why - despite all this strength - media agencies often remain sidelined. Spoiler alert: it’s not always because of a lack of skill. It’s because we’ve forgotten how to use it.
Stay tuned.
