The agency of the future and the trust paradox

With an eventful Q1 of the 21st century now done and dusted, what shape should the agencies of the future take, and what will our clients expect of us? Recent research suggests there are some simple human truths to face, and a challenging paradox to confront.

The marketing and comms landscape of the 20th century was a complex and multi-layered beast. Much has changed, and happily, simplified, since the advent of the online universe, and the integration of expertise and media. The silos are mostly dissolved. Ditto the expense accounts. Today’s agencies are a much leaner, multi-tasking machine.

And whilst it’s only natural for creative output and impact to soak up the plaudits at the annual awards knees-up, it’s also a cue to look ahead, and get in shape for what the future might demand – and today’s CMOs are looking for far more than the shiniest reel in town. The EACA CMOs' Expectations Study 2026* offers a fascinating insight into how to scaffold client-agency relationships for the future, and has exposed a paradox at the heart of our everyday reality.

The trust paradox
The study reveals that almost all clients (94%) valued true partnership and trust from their chosen marketing agencies. So far, so 21st century values. But it also surfaced a significant contradiction: nearly half of the CMOs questioned had also run a pitch within the last year, and of those pitches, 65% had resulted in a change of agency.

Analysis of the winning entries of the Effie Awards Europe 2025 throws yet more fuel on this contradiction by revealing that ‘50% of entries have worked with brand partners for five or more years and were more than twice as likely to produce winning work as those who had worked together for less than a year’.** So it’s clear that partnership + trust = proven results.

In which case, why the pitch-ditch cycle?

Of course, the variables are many. Whether you’re a retainer-based agency (generally likely to have longer relationships***), or project-based. Specialist or full-service. The country/market you’re based in. All have an influence on account turnover. But whatever the local or business context, the relationship between client and agency ultimately hinges on human nature: the good and the bad. From being distracted by the latest ‘shiny thing’, to responding to peer pressure, or the need to lean on someone in a time of stress or change, clients are human. And whilst the nature of client-agency relationships might grant clients the power of Caesar, and that of the sometimes embattled gladiator to the agency, we can still bring plenty of fight – and weapons – to the arena.

What clients want
So how to unravel the paradox and protect the longevity of client-agency relationships? In acknowledging the client’s need for partnership, we must also examine what partnership looks like to each party, find and understand what works for both parties, and get into that space.

But be ready. These days clients expect a lot more from their partnerships: an agency team with their business and strategic feet firmly on the ground and their heads in the creative clouds. A partner that can handle higher expectations – and in half the time.

The CMOs’ Expectations Study has outlined six core areas where agencies need to be at the top of their game to shift clients into the ‘very satisfied’ camp.

1. They must be AI-native. AI is the #1 capability clients expect from agencies in the future, with 35% rating AI enhancement as ‘High Priority’ and another 41% scoring it 4 out of 5.

2. They must be strategic architects. Clients expect agencies to go beyond execution and act as consultants.

3. They need to deliver operational excellence. 32% of CMOs rank ‘delivering on time and in quality’ as their top selection factor.

4. They must be creatively transformative. Blending human imagination with technology-driven formats.

5. They should be embedded collaborators. Functioning as extensions of the client team, proactive, with deep brand and market knowledge.

6. They require cultural intelligence. With the ability able to decode audiences, markets and societal signals to create breakthrough work based on genuine insights.

It’s some shopping list. And in the light of these rising, more holistic expectations, perhaps we’ve arrived at a tipping point for client-agency relationships: tackling the age-old tradition of simply paying for agency time. Clients are paying for what we create and the service we provide in the hours, after all.

“It is critical that the industry tackles these expectations and work with advertisers to help them flex remuneration models that pay for this expanded remit, including technology investment. It supports the EACA’s opinion that agencies need to move away from the time-based payment structure towards an agile model that works with a blend of human and artificial intelligence services.”

Charley Stoney, CEO, EACA.

We’ll certainly be keeping an eye on how far this particular structural shift at the foundation of client-agency relationships starts to move.

No lip service, just great service
Partnership is a word that’s often thrown around with abandon in this game, but the CMOs' Expectations Study highlights the danger of simply paying it lip service. Yet any agency worth their salt will hardly be tackling the list of six from scratch.

There are many satisfied CMOs out there who are already appreciating the combination of great creative output alongside financial transparency, reliable delivery and collaboration as the norm from their agency partners. Sprinkle some extra proactivity, adaptability, better understanding of clients’ business realities and excellent strategic guidance into the mix, and there’s a good chance your clients will swipe right for your partnership – and stick, not twist.

At SWC, partnership is part of our brand for a reason. As an international, full-service marketing agency, we work as an agile extension to our clients’ teams. We make our clients’ lives easier by understanding their requirements, solving their problems and delivering local, national and international solutions.

The CMOs’ Expectations Study presents current CMO expectations and is based on responses from 141 different companies in 22 European markets, with 95% of respondents in marketing/communication or top management roles across a broad range of sectors, from finance to FMCG. Find out more about the full study here

*eaca.eu/news/cmos-report-2026

** Effie Awards Europe Announces the 2025 Winners – Effie Awards Europe

*** Average Marketing Agency Churn: 2026 Report | Focus Digital