As independent agencies continue to gain momentum across the media and advertising landscape, narrative around them is evolving.
According to Foxcatcher APAC’s newly appointed head of sales, Karan Kent, and Managing Director Marcus Betschel, the “rise of the independents” isn’t just a trend anymore, it’s a structural shift.
But that rise comes with its own challenges, particularly in programmatic maturity, tech investment, and talent retention.
These were just some of the insights the pair shared with Mediaweek when they sat down for a new episode of Mediaweek Presents… with Natasha Lee.
Foxcatcher APAC’s newly appointed head of sales, Karan Kent, and Managing Director Marcus Betschel sat down with Mediaweek.
“Not a rise but a reality”
Independent agencies, once viewed as underdogs to the global holdcos, have become genuine contenders on pitch lists for major brands, Betschel said.
“It’s not a rise anymore. It’s just viable,” he said. “If there’s a huge pitch with a massive brand, it’s totally viable that there’s not just one but multiple indies on that pitch list.”
For Kent, the appeal of indies is obvious: “They offer something existing holdcos often don’t – agility and genuine care. Independent agencies work with fewer clients, giving them more time and more exposure to senior leadership. Often, the person doing the pitch is the same person running the account.”
That agility, and the emphasis on client intimacy, gender equity and diversity, are why Kent believes the independent model will only continue to grow.
But the pair warn that growth without support can be dangerous.
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Tech gaps and talent risks
While indies offer flexibility, they often lack the internal programmatic muscle or the tech infrastructure needed to scale effectively.
“There’s a growing number of independent agencies,” Kent explained. “They’ve all got specific skill sets, but not all of them have programmatic capabilities. And not all of them have the kind of tech they can plug into their stack to give clients a better solution.”
Foxcatcher frequently partners with these agencies, either acting as a full programmatic trading desk or providing custom tech stack solutions, depending on how far along the agency is on its digital maturity curve.
“Some indies are still at the embryonic stage, and some are halfway through but looking for a change,” Betschel said. “We help build that pathway, whether it’s tech stack design, data strategy, or full trading support.”
The variety of agency maturity levels means that no two engagements are the same.
“It’s so disparate,” Kent added. “You might walk into a meeting with an agency that started off selling radio ads and has no clue what programmatic even is. Then the next day, you’re talking to a client who’s sitting on heaps of first-party data and just doesn’t know how to monetise it.”
The hidden cost of “Fail Fast”
Despite their nimbleness, independent agencies face a structural disadvantage: they often can’t afford to fail.
“The tech journey of ‘fail fast’ doesn’t work when resources are this finite,” Kent warned. “If you burn a big chunk of your budget, talent or time on the wrong platform or the wrong hire, it can lead to stagnation.”
Even larger brands that try to bring programmatic capabilities in-house face similar hurdles. Hiring top talent is expensive and time-consuming, and if the wrong person is brought in, the knock-on effects on team morale and client servicing can be brutal.
“If one of those key hires leaves, you’ve got a big risk,” Betschel said. “It’s not simple to just hire someone new. If the next person doesn’t work out, you’ve lost months, and potentially, clients.”
Kent agreed: “Until you hit a certain scale, it’s a massive cost burden. And even if you do have scale, you’re still left with big questions, what DSP should you use? Is your data GDPR-compliant? How do you pipe it all together? You need the right people to even start asking those questions, and there’s not many of them.”
Foxcatcher’s role: Programmatic agility as a service
Foxcatcher is a demand-side platform (DSP) partner that provides transparent, tailored solutions for clients navigating the complexities of programmatic media buying.
With a strong focus on education, transparency and long-term value, the business works with both direct brands and independent agencies.
Kent, who joined Foxcatcher in April as APAC head of sales, was hired specifically to help scale the company’s regional operations and expand its footprint among independent shops across Australia and Southeast Asia.
“We’re a programmatic partner to a plethora of clients, direct and independent agencies,” Kent explained. “And we see it as our job to provide the kind of support that lets them focus on what they’re great at.”
“Often,” added Betschel, “a client comes to us and says: ‘Here’s what we’ve been doing programmatically, here’s our data – what should we do next?’ Our job is to deliver customised solutions, because there’s no one-size-fits-all approach.”
From bespoke tech development to full-service trading teams, Foxcatcher positions itself as an extension of its clients’ capabilities. Their value proposition is clear: while indies bring the ideas and client focus, Foxcatcher delivers the scale, tech and operational muscle.
“Agility is baked into our service,” Betschel said. “It’s what the market needs – and what we believe in.”
As independent agencies continue to secure bigger briefs and take on larger accounts, the question is no longer whether they can win… but whether they can scale. For many, the difference between thriving and stagnating lies in whether they choose the right partners.
Foxcatcher, with its blend of technical depth and programmatic expertise, is betting that its role as a behind-the-scenes enabler will be more essential than ever in the years to come.