In-House vs. Agency – What Suits You?

By: Jessica Prestigiacomo

So, you want to work in the advertising industry? But do you know what kinds of employers you want to work for? Let’s make it simple. There are two different types of advertising employers you can work for: in-house and agency. Each comes with potential positives and negatives, depending on your preferences.  

Let’s discuss.

In-House

In-house advertising is exactly what it sounds like. Advertising that is produced by the company, not by a third party. In other words, employees paid by the specific company, will work in a team exclusively for that company. This advertising team comprises of different positions like a marketing manager, content writer, SEO and Analytics Expert, Social Media Manager, Paid Ads specialist, CRO-focused designer, developer, etc. In-House companies are typically more well-established brands like Nike that run advertisements frequently  

Positives:

• Having a deep understanding of the company/brand
• Quick communication
• Greater opportunities of promotions
• Working with multinational brands

Negatives:

• Potentially struggling with new creative ideas for the same brand
• Teams can be overburdened if given too many high-priority tasks at the same time
• Corporate structure may restrict personal expression
• It can be a challenge to form a strong relation with coworkers and team

 

Agency

Working in an agency is slightly different than in-house. Agencies are hired by companies to work as a third party, promoting their brand. All agencies specialize in certain areas such as public relations, design, content marketing, digital marketing, etc. Most agencies are small and do work for small businesses, but there are larger agencies known to continuously work with multinational brands. 

Positives:

• Working on a variety of projects and campaigns
• Building relations and forming effective teams 
• Constantly up to date with modern trends and technology
• The ability to work at an agency specific to your advertising interest (design, content marketing, digitital marketing, etc.) 

Negatives:

• Possible disagreements or communication obstacles with clients
• More fast-paced and longer hours
• Working on several different brands at once prevents you from fully mastering one
• Your role may feel limiting and stagnant as getting new responsibilities is rarer  

 

 

Which one suits you better?

Considering in-house:

If you are interested in working on one large brand for a long period of time, in-house would suit you better. In addition, you will find in-house more enjoyable if you like corporate settings, as you will be in the marketing department of the company. Working in-house tends to be more structured and has a larger support network that can lead you to higher end management positions. 

Considering agency:

If working with a diverse number of clients is intriguing to you, agency life may suit you better. Agencies can be fast-paced and challenging, but they can also be extremely rewarding if you put in the effort they demand. If that’s the kind of work you desire than look no further.

 

 

Resources:

Baird-Lew, C. (2018, March 26). In-House vs Agency Marketing: Which One is Best for You? Retrieved from https://www.digitaldoughnut.com/articles/2018/march/in-house-vs-agency-marketing-which-one-is-best

Fisher, J. (2020, April 17). In-House vs Agency Marketing: Which one is better for your business? Retrieved from https://medium.com/trapica/in-house-vs-agency-marketing-which-one-is-better-for-your-business-369eb531c911

Monllos, K. (2019, October 10). Marketers feel growing pains as in-house agencies become a necessity. Retrieved from usehttps://digiday.com/marketing/marketers-feel-growing-pains-house-agencies-become-necessity/