Australia – Confidence in in-house media capabilities is continuing to rise, with nearly 86% of brands saying their in-house media agency rates are as good as or better than those offered by external agencies, according to a collaborative report by the In-House Agency Council (IHAC) and advertising consultancy -lution. Its findings suggest that in-house media models are increasingly being treated as a standard operating approach rather than an experimental alternative.
The report also points to broader indicators of growing trust in in-house media teams. Among respondents, whose annual media budgets range from AU$1m to more than AU$100m, an average of 60% of total media spending has been managed internally over the past three years.
“For years, agency pricing was the main reason brands hesitated to bring media in-house. But with 86% of brands now reporting that their in-house teams match or beat agency rates, that argument no longer holds,” said Mike Worden, chief media officer at -lution and chair of the IHAC Media Strategic Group. “Today, growth is driven not by cost, but by speed, accountability, and the ability to turn insight into action without friction. In-house media has evolved from an experiment into a true operating advantage.”
Investment in capabilities for in-house media teams is also increasing. Nearly half of respondents said they have invested in new digital campaign optimisation technologies, while a further 20% plan to do so in the near future. In addition, around 61% of in-house agencies expect to expand the size or scope of their teams within the next year, pointing to a more deliberate and long-term approach to in-house brand marketing.
“The most important signal in the data isn’t just that in-housing works – it’s that it’s stabilising,” Worden added. “Teams aren’t yo-yoing in and out of models anymore. They’re refining, professionalising, and compounding advantage over time.”
