The case for and against bringing programmatic in-house

"More brands are set to bring the media expertise in-house this year, with some, including Danish advertiser Lego, even moving to build out internal programmatic expertise. In theory, they're doing so to reduce the cost of managing media investments, while gaining the ability to act faster, and in closer coordination with the rest of their business. In practice, there are good reasons why media planning and buying, and programmatic specifically, are considered to be the final frontier of in-housing."

"Industry observers expect to see a high number of media accounts come under review this year. While they peruse pitch decks and RFI responses, CMOs and CFOs may be keeping the arguments for and against working with an agency at all in the backs of their minds. It's worth reviewing the arguments on either side. The case for in-housing programmatic A decade and change on from the mid-noughties rush to bring marketing operations in-house, internal advertising units are now mature departments."

More brands are bringing media expertise in-house, with some building internal programmatic teams. Brands aim to reduce the cost of managing media investments, act faster, and coordinate more closely with other business functions. Media planning and programmatic buying remain the most challenging areas to in-house, yet many advertisers are reviewing media agency relationships. Internal media units have matured since the mid-2000s, with in-house creative and media teams handling major campaigns and awards. As of 2023, 54% of U.S. brands have an in-house media unit. Many organizations started with paid social and paid search and are now expanding into programmatic, which dominates digital video and display ad dollars.

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