The 4As hosted a fascinating effort last week in Austin as part of MPF 2025: they programmed an afternoon of speed dating for agencies and search consultants. Thirty-six fine agencies met individually with several of the country’s top agency search consultants.
MPF stands for the 4A’s “Management Practitioners Forum”, an event that brings together leaders of independent agencies to discuss key challenges related to driving a modern marketing agency. Robin and I were delighted to participate. And we learned a lot by spending an afternoon with these 36 agencies.
What did we learn?
1. There is hunger to help clients succeed
These agencies know why they are in business: to help their clients succeed. And they are keen to help.
2. AI is everywhere
Many of these agencies were well along on their AI journey, having well over a year under their belts in exploration, testing and operationalizing a wide range of AI tools. Some had developed their own. Some had closed learning environments built upon major platforms like OpenAI’s.
3. It’s still a people business
The humanity of these meetings was special. The agency leaders were charming, thoughtful and interesting. They know they compete with one another yet are clearly part of a broader community.
4. Not everyone is grabbing PE investment
Some had PE backing. Many were still founder led and owned. And at least 20% of the agencies I met with were ESOPs! There was no single solution for funding a modern marketing agency.
5. Indies are getting an infusion of talent from ex Holdco execs
A common theme was how these indies had enhanced their teams with important new staff that had fled the Holdcos. I met several of these new indie leaders and the energy and enthusiasm for independence was palpable.
6. Hybrid office policies are common but agency execs believe an office setting is best
Agency leaders believe that office settings bring out the best in culture, collaboration and personnel development.
7. The creative space is still historically slow
Disciplines like media, retail media and performance marketing currently have much more action.
8. Many agencies continue to struggle to explain why they are special
We heard a great deal about their people, their capabilities, ownership structure and clients. We only occasionally heard what a client may need or care about or why an agency could stand out in ways that are meaningful to clients.
Steve Boehler, founder, and partner at Mercer Island Group has led consulting teams on behalf of clients as diverse as Ulta Beauty, Microsoft, UScellular, Nintendo, Kaiser Permanente, Holland America Line, Stop & Shop, Qualcomm, Brooks Running, and numerous others. He founded MIG after serving as a division president in a Fortune 100 when he was only 32. Earlier in his career, Steve Boehler cut his teeth with a decade in Brand Management at Procter & Gamble, leading brands like Tide, Pringles, and Jif.
Mercer Island Group helps marketers and agencies succeed. Company leadership is as much at home with marketers and their C-Suites as in an agency’s boardroom. With marketers, Mercer Island Group is a top 5 agency search consultancy covering all types of agency relationships (creative, media, web, PR, experiential) and assists marketers with marketing organization structure, workflow and critical skill development (briefing, creative evaluation & feedback, etc.). The company also supports leading and aspiring agencies with positioning, pitch and strategy training and pitch support.
