Bringing creative inhouse is often the very logical step. Obviously there are cost efficiencies, and also authenticity, reactiveness, creative being closer to new initiatives means natural design thinkers are in the room from the beginning. If you’ve taken this step, there are three parts to consider: structure, product and culture.  Getting all three right is what makes an internal agency out-perform the reassuringly expensive, annoyingly less reactive external creative agency.

Structure

This is about recruiting the right people with the right skills and identifying and mentoring leaders and everyone in the team. And also about process: ensuring creative briefs are thought through, review and delivery schedules are sensible, and sign off is robust. It’s also ensuring wash ups and learnings are found from projects that have gone well, and those that went not so well. This is the structure that creative teams need around them. In agencies account managers, traffic and producers do this, too often with in house teams this gets forgotten which is when stress levels rise and standards slip.

Product

We’re raising the creative bar. This means inspiring designers and writers to push themselves, rather than be be pushed. Agencies do this well having a creative heavy-weight leading. Someone who understands the market, audience insights and can deliver inspiring creative direction and who knows how to avoid stuck and staid. Staying fresh is what agencies do well, and being uncompromising and self-critical on quality is what they are paid for. Brands need to do the same.

Culture

Inviting creative in-house needs managing. There may need to be a shift in culture in the organisation to get the best out of them. And a shift amongst creatives  too to see the opportunities of working in-house. Breaking down silos and understanding the creative process will pay dividends across the organisation. Because creatives are the natural-born design thinkers on your team.