• by Fred Schuster , Op-Ed Contributor, June 26, 2025

Something big was missing from last week’s Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity.  

Of course, there were the usual sparkle and high production events that we have come to expect - from the established HoldCos still staking claim to their patch of the Croisette, to the growing presence of platforms erecting full-scale villages, to the ever-expanding scattering of AI-infused startups.  

But amid the spectacle and the awards, there was one glaring absence – the in-house agency leaders who turn the marketing engines of our industry.  

Brands and the marketers who lead them were very much present – participating in panels, giving keynote talks, and of course, accepting awards. Yet their internal teams were neither showcased nor honored.  

Cannes Lions can be quite overwhelming at times. The 100+ simultaneous events, thousands of people scurrying to their next engagement, and the occasional rosé or two, leads to inevitable feelings of FOMO. But in this case, it’s just simply MO – Missed Opportunity

Marketers’ biggest upside lies inside, but the insiders are being kept outside the pinnacle idea event in advertising.

Once outliers, in-house agencies have become mainstream. Nearly every brand has an internal agency - 82% according to the 2023 ANA Survey on In-Housing. Over the last five years of economic uncertainty, in-house agencies have grown over 20%, according to IHAF.  

In-house teams are tightly embedded in the organizations they serve, as strategic partners privy to the confidential data, plans, and struggles that affect every lever of marketing operations. These teams help shape brand voice, drive product launches, and often manage everything from media buying to campaign analytics. They move faster, know their brands intimately, and increasingly deliver work that competes head-to-head with external agencies.

So, why aren’t they being celebrated at Cannes?

Are they perceived to be a threat? That makes no real sense. Agencies collaborate routinely and share the creative glory with each other and production partners. They also commonly cite effectiveness achievements with their media partners. Why wouldn’t you want to share the beach, stage, and street with client agencies that put everything in motion?

Is it because external agencies have been quicker to claim credit for AI adoption? That’s hype, not reality. When we interviewed 120 in-house agencies across 12 verticals for our InnerIndex Study, we found that 67% of internal agencies are enthusiastically adapting AI for everyday work, despite only 18% feeling supported by their organizations to do so.

Is it because internal agencies take so many forms they can’t be uniformly categorized (e.g., creative, media, digital)? That’s like the famous Indian parable about a group of blind people encountering an elephant for the first time and each one perceiving it differently, unable to grasp the full picture and potential.

David Connell, Worldwide Head of Creative Production at Amazon (one of the few in-house leaders present), put it this way on a Cannes panel: “There is no label on the inside of the tin.” Point being, in-house agencies wear as many hats as needed to get things done for the brand.

The Cannes community and conversation need the operational focus, diversity, and creativity of in-house agencies. CMOs under fire will admit most of their pressure points are systemic, the areas external agencies only support, but in-house teams live in day to day. Bringing them into the mix would emphasize and enrich how brands are handling change within.

While external agencies get celebrated for inspiring commercial work, they don’t have a monopoly on consistency, scalability, efficacy, efficiencies, and above all creativity. The presumption that they do, which pervades the Croissette, is simply outdated. It limits recognition and stifles growth. It sends the message that internal efforts aren’t worthy of industry accolades, and in-house creatives don’t deserve to attend the adult parties. It disincentivizes in-house teams from pushing boundaries and kneecaps the boldest ideation, which often comes from inside.

Marketers must defend and promote internal agencies. Brands are still in driver seat and they have the ability to spark the change. They have seen the Elephant very clearly for a long time and understand its power.