Brands plan to bring more marketing in-house: what October’s research means for agencies

Two-thirds of brand marketers expect to bring more in-house

A study by SBS with Censuswide, reported by DecisionMarketing on 23 October 2026, surveyed 200 UK marketing professionals, split evenly between independent agency and in-house brand professionals. 66% of brand marketers expect their organisations to bring more marketing capabilities in-house over the next three years.

The same research found that 71% of UK brand marketers say AI is adding complexity, and 57% say accessing and adopting new marketing technology is more challenging than it was 12 months ago. The biggest barriers were budget constraints (18%), followed by limited internal expertise (14%) and a lack of talent (14%).

Forrester: agencies need to show where they add value

Forrester research, reported by destinationCRM on 26 October 2026, found that 93% of businesses use agencies in some capacity, but relatively few are increasing their engagements. Among B2B marketers cutting budgets, the falls are most pronounced in areas that had previously driven agency growth: digital marketing (down 20%), social media management (down 17%), brand strategy, development and management (down 17%) and content creation (down 15%).

Forrester also found that 54% of marketing leaders say data strategy and AI readiness are important when choosing an agency, yet only 10% are satisfied with agencies’ ability to deliver on them.

In-house rarely means everything

SBS managing director Jason Warner cautioned against reading the in-house trend too literally: “For some, it could mean bringing strategy in-house and working with partners on execution; for others, it’s about building capabilities across the entire process. And there is everything in between” (DecisionMarketing).

The practical result is a mixed model. Brands keep more of the work close, then bring in outside specialists and advisers where they lack expertise, time or perspective.

What this means for agencies

• Be clear about where you add value. Spell out the expertise, judgement and capacity clients cannot easily build themselves.
• Protect the relationship. When clients are reviewing what to keep in-house, regular, well-run account management matters more, not less. Our look at why clients leave agencies covers the warning signs.
• Offer strategic guidance, not just delivery. Helping clients decide what to own, automate or outsource is valuable work in its own right.
• Plan capacity flexibly. If scopes are changing, short-term support can cover the gap without committing to a permanent hire too early.

What this means for businesses building in-house teams

Limited internal expertise and a lack of talent were among the top barriers in the SBS research. An experienced outside view can help a smaller team set priorities and plans without adding headcount.

Marketing Support Partners offers marketing strategy and consultancy for agencies and businesses, from hourly advice to half-day strategy sessions, as well as agency support and team management for agencies adapting to new client models.