In the world of advertising, where deadlines are tight, briefs are vague, and ideas are worth their weight in Cannes Lions, a new kind of influencer is emerging – the Ad Agency Influencer.
These aren’t your typical lifestyle bloggers or travel vloggers.
These are the caffeinated creatives, data-driven strategists, and unflappable account managers who’ve turned their daily grind into digital gold.
They’re the ones who can turn a bad client call into a viral TikTok, and a late-night brainstorm into a shareable meme faster than you can say “Scope Creep”.
For these influencers, the office isn’t just a workspace.
It’s a content studio, and every client brief is a potential script.
They capture the absurdity of last-minute feedback, the agony of endless Zoom calls, and the dark humour of agency life.
They’ve made the chaotic world of advertising not just relatable, but addictive.
With hashtags like #AgencyLife, #AdLand, and #PitchPlease, these creators have turned their workdays into digital performance art, blending the madness of modern marketing with the candid, confessional tone of reality TV.
Their content captures the unspoken truths of agency life. The missed lunches, the midnight deadlines, and the delicate dance of managing client egos – and packages it into short, snappy videos that resonate with audiences far beyond their office walls.
Why Ad Agency Influencers Matter
For agencies, this trend is pure creative rocket fuel.
These influencers sit at the intersection of credibility and creativity – a potent mix for building brand equity.
They humanise the often-misunderstood world of advertising, showcasing the passion, pressure, and peculiarities of the industry in a way that resonates with both peers and potential clients.
It’s not just about selling soap – it’s about selling the story of selling soap.
They also offer a direct line to a highly engaged and influential audience – fellow marketers, clients, and aspiring creatives who value authentic insights over polished sales pitches.
In an industry where reputation and relationships are everything, the personal brands these influencers build can be as valuable as the campaigns they create.
It’s Time to Get Personal
Savvy agencies are already capitalising on this trend, turning their own people into powerful brand ambassadors.
It’s a strategy that doesn’t just humanise the agency. It electrifies it, making it a living, breathing part of the digital conversation.
Think about your creative director’s late-night rant about a client’s 72nd round of feedback? That’s free PR.
Your account manager’s snappy TikTok about juggling a dozen client calls in a day? That’s relatable content with a high shareability factor.
It’s the modern equivalent of word-of-mouth marketing, only supercharged for the digital age.
Pitfalls of Personal Branding
Of course, this approach isn’t without its risks.
The line between personal expression and professional representation can blur faster than a pitch deck on deadline day.
Without clear social media guidelines, this can lead to some awkward moments – like when your creative lead’s spicy LinkedIn post about a ‘disaster client’ goes viral… and that client happens to be yours.
Moreover, once empowered, these influencers might just outgrow your agency’s own brand – becoming more valuable as independent creators than as salaried employees.
This new dynamic demands a cultural shift, where agencies view their talent not just as staff, but as powerful brand assets.
As the lines between personal and professional branding continue to blur, the rise of the Ad Agency Influencer represents a powerful opportunity for agencies willing to rethink their approach to talent and branding.
By embracing this trend, agencies can transform their teams into powerful marketing engines, driving both creative excellence and brand loyalty in a hyper-competitive market.
The next time you catch a colleague filming a cheeky TikTok about the chaos of campaign season, don’t just roll your eyes – you might be looking at the future face of your agency’s brand.
The APPIES is an annual event that presents a rare opportunity for creative, media, digital and marketing agencies or brands to present their best campaigns to the industry.
This is the only event where Live Presentations meets Live Judging.
Similar to TED Talks, The APPIES is the chance for great presenters with outstanding work to show it off to some of the industry’s most important industry leaders.
This year’s winners will receive Gold, Silver or Bronze trophies for 21 categories, and 6 special Best of Best categories (red trophies) that require no submissions!
Campaign entries must have run between June 2024 to May 2025
