Key Takeaways

• In-house creative teams are under growing pressure to handle rising workloads, especially during holiday campaign preparation, making quality-focused processes essential.
• AI content creation services and creative production services help teams manage content surges by automating repetitive tasks while freeing up time for high-impact creative work.
• Clear execution management between internal teams and external partners reduces costly errors and supports stronger marketing execution outcomes.
• Marketing services procurement and external marketing help can absorb high-volume production needs without sacrificing brand alignment or creative quality.
• Continuum Marketing provides marketing execution services, branded merchandise solutions, and overflow creative production services that respect in-house teams’ brand standards and timelines.

This past June, I attended the ANA In-House Agency Conference, where some of the most accomplished creative and marketing leaders shared how they are meeting rising demands without sacrificing quality. What stood out most was the strength and capabilities of in-house creative teams and the growing pressure they face to deliver more work, at a higher standard, in less time.

Focusing on Quality to Protect Teams from Burnout

Maya Dukes, Managing Director of Global Brand Strategy at Delta Airlines, set the tone with a message every marketing director and creative leader should hear:

"Get the best from your teams, not the most."
– Maya Dukes, Delta Airlines

Delta’s in-house team, Window Seat, has scaled rapidly, growing from 15 to 70+ creatives in a single year while producing over 2,000 projects and 6,000 assets. That kind of growth can easily lead to burnout, yet Dukes emphasized the importance of celebrating small wins - defining a clear vision, and keeping culture intact even under pressure. 

Her reminder was timely: as brands gear up for high-volume periods like the holiday season, focusing on quality rather than sheer output is critical for sustaining creative energy.

AI as a Practical Tool for Content Demand Surges

The conference also highlighted the role of AI in helping in-house teams manage growing workloads. Melanie Huet of Newell Brands detailed how her organization embedded AI experts into departments and adopted tools like CoPilot, MidJourney, ChatGPT, and Google’s Runway. These AI content creation services helped absorb a 166% increase in projects and a 400% spike in content requests.

The message was clear: AI doesn’t replace in-house talent, but it can remove repetitive tasks that drain time and focus. This allows internal teams to direct their attention toward higher-value creative work while meeting tight deadlines. AI-driven creative production services also help teams manage increasingly complex marketing execution needs.

The Hybrid Agency Model: Clear Roles Lead to Better Results

Coca-Cola’s Islam ElDessouky shared how his company relies on a hybrid agency model, using a combination of in-house talent and external partners. 

His key point: unclear roles and responsibilities can lead to expensive mistakes, including misaligned creative briefs that cost millions.

Sessions led by Mischief@No Fixed Address reinforced this. Alison Whisenant and Dana Buckhorn advised that brands and agency partners should actively choose each other and make full use of complementary strengths. Internal teams bring deep brand knowledge, while outside partners contribute fresh creative perspectives. 

Clear “swim lanes” and transparent execution management help everyone deliver better work.

Where Continuum Supports In-House Teams

As someone who works closely with marketing and creative directors, I left the conference with a renewed appreciation for how much internal teams handle. They’re the brand experts, the creative stewards, and the ones under constant pressure to deliver high-performing campaigns - often with lean resources.

That’s why Continuum Marketing views its role as an extension of in-house teams, especially during high-volume periods like holiday campaign preparation. We specialize in overflow marketing execution services and creative production services tailored to client’s brand guidelines, without slowing teams down or driving up costs. This allows internal teams to focus on the strategic, conceptual work that only they can do.

Our process respects the in-house team’s vision and maintains brand integrity. We adapt to the way each team works and deliver consistently high-quality creative assets, branded merchandise solutions, and marketing help that support deadlines and KPIs during peak periods.

Continuum’s experience also extends into marketing procurement services, helping brands better align spend while ensuring quality creative output. This depth allows us to function as an end-to-end trusted marketing company partner rather than a transactional vendor.

Questions for Every Marketing and Creative Director Right Now

The conference reinforced that in-house teams are at their best when they have time to think, experiment, and do what they do best: building brand equity through great creative work. As we head into the busiest months of the year, now is the time to ask:

• Is your team already working at full capacity?
• Are upcoming holiday campaigns likely to strain resources further?
• Would an experienced external partner help reduce the pressure without diluting brand quality?

If the answer to any of these questions is yes, it may be time to re-evaluate how overflow projects are supported. Because the brands that consistently win in crowded markets are the ones whose creative teams stay sharp, focused, and fully energized to produce their best work.

Key Takeaways for In-House Creative Leaders

1. Quality protects your team: Prioritize creative standards over sheer volume to maintain morale and performance.
2. AI content creation services can lift repetitive work: These tools free creative staff for high-value projects.
3. Clarity matters: Clearly defined roles between internal teams and external partners reduce errors and strengthen output.
4. Strategic overflow support pays off: Trusted partners in marketing execution, branded merchandise solutions, and creative production services can absorb surges in demand without sacrificing brand alignment.

Final Thought

The ANA In-House Agency Conference reminded me of how important it is for internal creative teams to have the time and space to do meaningful work. As leaders, it’s our responsibility to make sure they’re not overextended. That might mean reevaluating project priorities, adopting AI where it truly helps, or bringing in the right external partner to take on execution-heavy work.

When in-house teams are supported properly, with the right marketing execution services, the quality of the work and the brand always rises.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About External Agency Partnerships

1. How can in-house creative teams avoid burnout during high-volume campaign seasons?
   Focus on quality over volume, celebrate small wins, and prioritize work strategically. Use external partners to handle overflow creative work, allowing your internal team to focus on strategic, brand-building projects.
2. What is the benefit of using external partners for overflow creative work?
   External partners can absorb high-volume production needs—such as holiday campaigns and creative asset versioning—without compromising brand quality. This reduces pressure on internal teams and maintains consistency across all creative assets.
3. How is AI helping in-house creative teams manage content demands?
   AI tools can handle repetitive tasks like asset resizing, content translation, and automated email builds. This frees creative staff to focus on high-value work while meeting deadlines.
4. What’s the key to strong internal and external agency collaboration?
   Clearly defined roles and responsibilities. Internal teams bring deep brand knowledge, while external partners add fresh creative perspectives. Transparent communication reduces errors and drives better results.
5. When should in-house teams consider overflow creative support?
   If upcoming campaigns—particularly during seasonal and holiday planning—will strain capacity, bringing in a partner to handle execution-heavy tasks helps preserve quality and avoid burnout.