In-House Agency Committee Meeting

I. WELCOME AND INTRODUCTIONS (11:00 – 11:10a.m. ET)

II. MEMBER ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION: IMPROVING IN-HOUSE AGENCY PERCEPTION (11:10 – 11:45a.m. ET)
There’s no denying the challenges our industry faces heading into 2026. In-house agencies of all disciplines and sizes will need to contend with headwinds to help their companies achieve brand and business growth. It’s been proven that in-house agencies have the potential to deliver creative and strategic value, but sometimes, that value is questioned. Along with the need to build strong internal capabilities, in-house agencies also need to develop strategies for improving their stakeholder perceptions to grow, scale, and continue to deliver value. 

This group discussion is open to all meeting attendees. Come prepared with talking points and questions. We’ll talk about:

• The overall perception of in-house agencies today, and how that compares with how internal teams should be perceived.
• Strategies for increasing and improving in-house perception.
• How to earn your in-house agency a seat at the table of senior leadership, to be seen as a strategic partner rather than a cost-effective executor.

Moderators:
Jessica Cipolla-Tario, VP of Global Creative Services – Sony Interactive Entertainment and In-House Agency Co-Chair
Charissa Messer, In-House Agency Executive – Bank of America and In-House Agency Co-Chair

III. WISHMAKERS WANTED: REIGNITING A MOVEMENT THROUGH REBRAND & RELAUNCH (11:45a.m. – 12:20p.m. ET)
Join the Make-A-Wish creative team as they share insights into their 2025 In-House Excellence Award-winning Wishmakers Wanted campaign. This session will highlight how the team approached their rebrand and launch to energize supporters, strengthen engagement, and drive measurable impact. Hear how strategy, storytelling, and design came together to create a campaign that inspires action and advances the mission. 

Speakers:
Katie O’Brien, Head of Enterprise Campaigns & Marketing Strategy – Make-A-Wish America
Tristen Schill, National Creative Director – Make-A-Wish America

IV. BREAK (12:20 – 12:25p.m. ET)

V. IN-HOUSING AS A GROWTH ENGINE: A PRACTICAL ROADMAP TO UNLOCKING VALUE FROM IN-HOUSE AGENCIES (12:25 – 1:00p.m. ET) (Download the Presentation)
When done well, in-housing becomes far more than an efficiency play, it becomes a growth engine. By integrating strategy, creative, media and measurement into one cohesive operating system, brands can boost capability, tighten governance, and dramatically improve speed and performance. This session shares a practical roadmap for turning in-house teams into high-performing engines of marketing and business growth. 

Speaker:
Liam Brennan, Senior Marketing Consultant – Overline