In-housing has found itself back in the spotlight in the early months of 2023. With influential companies recently claiming they’ve saved tens of millions thanks to the strategy, the space is primed to see more client-side initiatives in the months ahead, some experts say. But third-party agencies are also in a more resilient position than in the pre-pandemic days and may have a more meaningful point of differentiation to offer brands that are juggling complicated mandates around first-party data, digital transformation and more.

Still, the in-housing topic remains a contentious one, as brands vie to wrest control over duties that are typically the bread and butter of outside marketing services providers that may be in a fragile position with the uncertain state of the economy.