Confidence in in-house media capabilities is rising, with IHAC and -lution research showing 86% of brands believe in-house media agency rates match or beat external agencies.
Owning the Advantage: In-House Media’s Path from Pilot to Powerhouse, which tracks the rise of in-house media agencies (IHAs) across Australia and New Zealand, shows that 61% of IHAs plan to grow the size or scope of their teams in the next 12 months.
“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 -lution partner and IHAC media strategic group chair Mike Worden.
“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.”
Key findings
The report found that in-house teams now manage an average of 60% of media budgets, and 84% of respondents still work with at least one external partner.
Nearly half (45%) of IHAs have already invested in new digital campaign optimisation tools, with a further 20% planning to do so.
Interest in attention measurement and audience consumption tools has risen more than 11% year-on-year.
The report is based on responses from 30 brand-side marketing leaders, representing a diverse range of media investment levels from under $1 million to over $100 million annually. The responses were compiled between 2023 and 2025.
“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. That’s a sign the model has proven itself.”