At Flock Associates, we live at the intersection of creativity, operational excellence, and marketing transformation. The recent ANA Advertising Financial Management Conference in Carlsbad, CA reinforced just how much transformation the industry is undergoing — and how essential it is for procurement, marketing, and agencies to unite around new models, new tools, and new ways of working.
From generative AI and agency partnerships to media ROI and content production, the conference offered a whirlwind of revelations. Here are our most impactful takeaways.
Global Content Production: The Challenge of Change at Scale
As Claire Randall noted in her session, the advertising production world is experiencing unprecedented disruption. New research findings from the WFA survey, paints a picture of a production landscape that is increasingly centralized but still riddled with tensions:
- Production centralization is growing, yet concerns around quality and speed to market are increasing — with urgency around speed now tripling to 34%.
- Fragmented production models lack cohesion across global-local dynamics.
- There are mixed signals on the role of technology — while automation and AI are lauded, clarity on their real impact remains elusive.
- Decoupling remains a hot topic, but quality trade-offs are real.
- Partner coordination is still a challenge, especially in a global-local model.
We heard a passionate reminder: transparency is still lacking, and trust across production partners must be rebuilt — starting with clearer roles, accountability, and the right tech enablement.
Redefining Procurement: From Cost Controller to Creative Collaborator and Transformation Lead
Multiple sessions emphasized what we’ve known for some time: procurement is no longer just about cost containment — it’s about value creation and strategic leadership driving transformation across marketing ecosystems. From pioneering new workflows to aligning creative ambitions with operational excellence, procurement is stepping into a more nuanced, empowered role.
Speakers like Lauren Shukla (Astellas Pharma) and Sopan Shah (IHG) illustrated how procurement can be a catalyst for change management, pushing forward more integrated, efficient, and value-focused operating models. Whether it’s AT&T’s in-house transformation led by Kerry Kelb or Carmen True’s martech audit strategies at Qualcomm, procurement is a pivotal role in reshaping marketing effectiveness across nearly every point of the marketing value chain.
And yet, transformation doesn’t happen in silos. Tracy Avelar at Meta showcased a bold future — a 90% automated, personalized buying ecosystem — that underscores the importance of procurement working with, not separate from, marketing and creative partners.
This shift in mindset is equally important when it comes to creative collaboration. The traditional friction between creative vision and procurement discipline can be resolved by embracing a triangle of partnership between Procurement, Marketing, and Creative. This means:
- Aligning on shared business outcomes, not just budget lines.
- Building contracting and service planning processes that support innovation rather than stifle it.
- Respecting the value of creative work while ensuring transparency and performance.
In short, the path forward isn’t about procurement taking control — it’s about procurement co-creating the future. The organizations thriving in today’s volatile landscape are those where procurement is trusted, empowered, and aligned with the broader goals of brand building, customer engagement, and long-term value creation.
Rethinking the Pitch: From Necessary Evil to Strategic Opportunity
The pitch isn’t broken — but it is misunderstood. The pitch process, when well-run, is an opportunity to build trust, align values, and spark innovation. Key takeaways included:
- Clients decide based on more than cost — chemistry, vision alignment, and operational readiness matter.
- Agencies need better RFPS to reflect clarity on scope and timelines to prioritize opportunities.
- Consultants (like Flock!) must ensure RFPs reflect realistic expectations and foster transparency.
- Face-to-face communication, ongoing appraisals, and well-crafted scopes are the “nuts and bolts” of successful relationships.
GenAI, Fees, and the Disconnect in Perception
The conversation around AI in marketing was both electric and contradictory.
Despite a staggering number of sessions citing AI’s transformational potential — from contracting to content — the ANA Compensation Survey revealed that zero advertisers claimed AI had materially impacted fees. That’s not what we’re seeing in our client data. AI is already shifting staffing models, scope economics, and operational design.
This contradiction only highlights the urgent need for:
- Real-time data tracking.
- Adaptive compensation models that reflect hybrid human/tech delivery.
- Smarter contract clauses like the ANA’s new AI rider.
Agency Performance, Incentives, and Long-Term Success
In her panel, Bonnie Chu of Flock Associates explored how to go beyond the pitch — focusing instead on building sustainable partnerships. We highlighted the importance of shared success models and creating conditions where agencies want to run through walls for their clients — not because of the fees, but because of the relationship The ANA/4As report on client-agency tenure (hovering around 3.2 years) shows we still have work to do. Strong partnerships require:
- Clear incentives and shared success models.
- Ongoing performance appraisals using tools like Flock’s Agency Appraisal Tool.
- Compensation models that reward strategic contribution — not just time spent.
The best clients motivate agencies through respect, fair pay, and timely feedback.
Compensation Survey Revelations: PRF and Its Disappearance
The ANA’s 54-year compensation trend survey included a few surprises — notably, a drop in the number of clients using performance-related fees (PRF). This seems out of sync with the broader conversation about incentivizing agencies beyond input-based models.
It’s clear the industry must re-examine:
- How value is defined.
- How compensation supports — or hinders — transformation.
- Whether traditional fee structures can keep up with modern marketing delivery.
Final Thoughts: The Future is Integrated, Not Isolated
The ANA Conference left us energized — but also aware of the real work ahead. Marketing transformation isn’t a linear process. It requires:
- A unified procurement-marketing-creative ecosystem.
- Better data, smarter incentives, and deeper trust.
- The courage to evolve fee models, production systems, and tech stacks.
At Flock Associates, we are proud to partner with ambitious brands navigating this complexity. If you’re looking to build a smarter, faster, more integrated marketing organization — we’d love to help. Please fill out the form below to get in touch.
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