The agency model has been declared “dead” more times than we can count — but it keeps coming back in new shapes. In this episode of Hard Refresh, host Andrés López-Varela is joined by Hannah Muirhead (Founding Strategy Partner, Chapter), Missy Burrell (Director of Social, Mainstay Media), and Freddy Hollow (Director of Sales & Marketing, GolfBox) to explore what the next 25 years might hold. 

From the boom in in-house teams to AI eating junior jobs, the panel debates whether agencies can still prove their value and whether the future belongs to nimble independents, fractional experts, or the holding groups .

In this episode:

// In-housing is surging
Hannah cites IAG data showing 78% of Australian marketers now have some kind of in-house function, up significantly in recent years. In-house teams excel at brand guardianship and consistency, but often lack the “out of the box” creative firepower agencies can bring.

// The skills-gap risk
Missy warns that if AI takes over too much grunt work, the next generation won’t get the “in the weeds” experience that shapes great strategists and tastemakers. Agencies have long been training grounds; without that, who makes the big calls in 2040?

// Fractional models on the rise
The panel agrees that clients don’t always need a $250k strategist on staff, but they do need access to that calibre of thinking occasionally. Agencies offering fractional or freelance-based models may be the most sustainable future.

// IP, pricing, and blockchain
Hannah floats the idea of blockchain-tagged creative assets to ensure agencies are fairly paid when their ideas scale and potentially moving advertising pricing closer to music or licensing models. The group debates whether this could reshape client–agency trust.

// Indies vs holding companies
Freddy argues indies will remain attractive because they’re nimble, even as holding groups offer scale and efficiency. But without retainer models, the challenge will be whether small agencies can create space for creativity and craft to flourish.

This episode was recorded on the traditional lands of the Whadjuk Noongar people, live at State of Social ’25.

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