This article was originally published in Campaign US. Read the full coverage here.
For years, brands have invested heavily in building in-house teams, yet once assembled, they are often isolated, unsupported, or worse, sidelined in favor of external agencies.
Why? Because the industry has long been conditioned to believe that traditional agencies hold the creative magic, strategic prowess, access to top talent, and deep insights that in-house teams supposedly lack. This belief is fundamentally flawed.
Why build an in-house agency if you’re not going to use it to its fullest potential? It’s not only inefficient and costly; it’s holding your brand back.
InnerGroup is looking to change this
The newly launched in-house marketing operations firm, founded by industry veteran Fred Schuster and led by a team of experienced operations experts, works as an advocate for internal organizations to redefine how in-house teams function.
With a model built on expert advisory, talent augmentation, and AI-driven offshore content creation, InnerGroup helps brands make their in-house agencies the primary driver of content and brand value.
Data doesn’t lie
According to the Association of National Advertisers (ANA) report The Continued Rise of the In House Agency: 2023 Edition, 83% of brands now have in-house agencies. Yet, despite this fact, most still rely on external partners for the bulk of their creative and strategic work. This contradiction is a symptom of an outdated mindset. It undervalues in-house team potential while over-relying on costly external agencies.
“Brands have invested in their internal teams, but they’re not maximizing their return,”Schuster puts it, “However, brands that treat their in-house agency as their primary Agency of Record (AOR) have a distinct competitive advantage in adapting to customer demands and market changes.”
Schuster adds, “Yet, in reality, most internal teams aren’t set up to move fast enough.” InnerGroup has developed a proprietary model they call Inner8, which addresses the eight fundamental elements of a healthy internal marketing organization. By identifying areas of friction, they can improve the operational efficiencies and effectiveness of internal groups.
The struggle is real
In-house teams face pressure to deliver high-quality content at scale and speed. Yet, outdated operational models and inefficient workflows slow them down. Briefing delays, asset mismanagement, and clunky approval processes create bottlenecks. These leave internal agencies playing catch-up.
Then there’s the resourcing problem. When workloads spike, internal teams struggle to scale up, leading to missed opportunities or talent burnout.
“Think of it as a dysfunctional system that rewards inefficiency,” said James Sanderson, Global President of InnerGroup adding, “By optimizing your internal agency and making it fit-for purpose, you will accelerate growth in your organization.”
InnerGroup’s solution is simple: transform in-house agencies into true content powerhouses. Through its advisory services, InnerGroup helps teams streamline operations and remove friction points that slow production and then provide continuous support through its Syndicate network and its AI-powered offshore InnerStudio – a full-service content production unit that integrates with in-house teams.
InnerStudio is different
Unlike traditional outsourcing, InnerStudio enhances internal capabilities rather than replacing them. Its proprietary AI system, Mediaferry® AI, eliminates workflow inefficiencies, automating repetitive tasks while keeping creative control in the hands of in-house teams. Schuster explains, “AI doesn’t replace talent; it enhances it. Mediaferry® AI enables teams to focus on strategy and creativity while eliminating production bottlenecks.”
“InnerGroup’s new Adaptive Marketing Operations model and AI-first approach to offshore content creation are unique,” says Quinn O’Brien, Chief Marketing Officer at Carnegie Learning. “It gives internal teams the ability to continuously optimize performance while anticipating and accessing resources on demand.”
With Inner Studio, internal teams can scale content production on demand while staying agile. The result? Faster execution, reduced costs, and a creative engine that runs at full capacity.
The bigger picture
InnerStudio is one piece of InnerGroup’s larger mission: to modernize in-house marketing. Beyond AI-powered content creation, InnerGroup provides advisory services that help teams diagnose inefficiencies, optimize workflows, and implement scalable solutions.
The traditional in-house agency model isn’t built for today’s demands. As marketing evolves, in house agencies need to evolve with it. No more treating internal teams like a backup plan. It’s time to recognize their value and invest in their growth.
AI-powered content production, streamlined workflows, and a flexible resourcing model. These aren’t buzzwords; they’re the future of in-house marketing. Brands that don’t embrace this shift will be left behind. The future belongs to those who act now.
See how InnerGroup is redefining marketing operations.
