The clock is ticking for agencies.

5 years from now, 80% of the work we do will be automated.

That's a harsh reality. But it's also an opportunity.

Revolutionary change has happened before.

All businesses had to fundamentally change the way they operate.

The same is happening now. But this time it's much faster.

This means as agencies, we’re going to have no choice but to rethink the business model.

An overdue change with diminishing margins and black box revenue sources isn’t going to be a choice soon, but a requirement for survival.

In the new world, billing of time, retainers and or media spend will no longer suffice.

Instead, billing needs to be on growth and value.

According to MediaSense’s Future of Agency Models report, 74% of advertisers agree that in the next 3 years, we will see a shift towards output or outcome-based, as an alternative model.

Agencies need to accelerate growth for brands, just like venture capital and private equity firms do but do it with technology and creativity rather than through financial engineering.

Agencies need to shift from brand stewards to growth catalysts.

It's not about pumping out ads and campaigns.

It's about identifying growth opportunities, designing solutions, and using tech and creativity to make them happen faster.

At the same time, we can’t accept advertisers continuing to demand more for less, with agencies on a continuous merry-go-round pitching for the same business every three years with diminishing margins.

We need to find a way to showcase the value of what makes advertising special through a more robust language and measurement framework.

Let’s face it. Advertising gets a bad rep.

But guess what?

It matters.

We all know how important advertising can be not just in driving sales, but also in culture.

It’s about the emotions it stirs. The way it moves people. The messages it sends.

But we need to be better at telling this story with harder numbers and stronger words.

One that goes beyond reach, clicks, and other vanity metrics.

The business model is changing, and with this, we need to start recognising the true value of great advertising.