Beyond Recoupling: Why Are Media and Creative Getting Back Together?

There’s a story that the advertising elders tell of a time before the great sundering of creative and media – a time when the message and the medium were so intertwined that they didn’t have to be planned in different agencies, sometimes not even in different rooms. Largely, that time is in the mists of advertising’s past. But it never entirely went away; the torch was kept alight and today even many of the most siloed of agencies are looking at ways to break down the barriers between creative and media.

Chris Worrell, head of strategy at media agency Wavemaker Worldwide, has noted this change on the wind. “The separation of media and creative was very much a conscious uncoupling, motivated by the commercial opportunity that living separately promised,” he says. “What we’ve seen over the last few years has been a subconscious recoupling. A tacit acknowledgement that we’re better together (albeit in a relationship that bears some of the scars of years spent apart).”

But why is now the time for a reunion, after 30 or 40 years spent apart? “Apart from the ‘can’t live with you can’t live without you’ dynamics of creative and media folk, we have seen a significant but tectonic reverse shift in the conditions in which advertising works,” says Chris. 

“In short, media scarcity and attention abundance have swapped places to become media abundance and attention scarcity. The former meant a single big idea could and needed to be communicated in a few high reach channels. Creative effectiveness and the heft of scale were a winning formula. The latter means an idea needs to work across different platforms and formats and heft of scale is subservient to the guile and craft of understanding how to effectively distribute the idea across those different platforms and formats to maximise impact.”

Creatives didn’t need to be in the same building as media planners when they were writing slogans for billboards or endlines for radio ads. But adapting a big idea to dozens of formats spanning platforms and demographics takes a much more permeable wall.

This is certainly not about nostalgia for the old ways, but an appreciation of how specialists work better when they work together – because they need each other to achieve greatness. “Understanding the significance of this shift is the first step to supercharging creativity,” says Chris. “Neither media nor creative can cling to the romance of years gone by. And, like any successful relationship, both parties need to appreciate the other's qualities. Without the understanding of how people interact with different platforms in different ways, the collective intelligence that a media agency brings, even the best creative ideas are doomed from the outset. But without powerful ideas, the brilliance of imagination, we are in the business of pumping out wallpaper that does nothing for a brand's growth.”

It’s easy to see how as part of WPP, which has campuses around the world melding its media and creative agencies, Wavemaker is naturally keen to work with its creative cousins. But for the7stars, the UK’s largest independent media agency, creative and production are increasingly vital to what it delivers. Managing partner Anuschka Clarke points to Supernova, its in-house creative and production team, which was built to work alongside the7stars’ media experts. “We believe amazing things happen when you combine diverse expertise and thinking,” she says.

Anuschka’s assessment of the wider shifts rhymes with Chris at Wavemaker’s view: “As media has become more fragmented, there’s an increasing need to deliver creative excellence across many more spaces, places, and channels – each requiring bespoke assets that must unite to tell a consistent brand story. We believe that by integrating media and creative, we can elevate every part of a client’s media plan and make every creative message impactful and platform-appropriate, bringing a brand's story to life cohesively.”

What’s driving this approach is largely the shift to what she calls “digital-first creative,” great brands no longer make a TVC and cut it down for socials, or spin a few banners off from the OOH creative. They demand high volumes of content and assets with speed and agility. “The full-service model will certainly work for some advertisers, while others will prefer closer collaboration between the different agency disciplines. However, we've definitely started to have more conversations around media and creative coming together, and we're working with an increasing number of clients in this way – where interesting ideas can grow in any direction and spread freely, without silos.”

Mediaplus sits somewhere between Wavemaker and the7stars – a larger media agency across over 40 countries, but part of the independent Serviceplan Group. Max Schöngen, global creative lead there, has been involved in merging creativity and media actively. This has been driven by the need for brands to stand out in a crowded advertising landscape, where the volume of messages has surged yet budgets haven’t necessarily kept pace, which demands that media be as creative as the content it delivers, he suggests, ensuring messages not only reach but truly resonate with targeted audiences.

Max also points to the increasingly fragmented media landscape as the main driver for this recoupling. “With more touchpoints than ever before, integrating creativity into media planning is essential,” he says. “This complexity presents a unique opportunity for creative media to make a significant impact.” He points to how understanding what guides people’s decision-making has allowed Mediaplus to craft “smart, creative media strategies that captivate and engage” such as its our work on Animal Alerts and 855-HOW-TO-QUIT. It even has what it calls the  BÄM Collective — a team of about 50 creatives spread across Mediaplus agency locations — which Max says has a focus on “integrating creativity and media in novel, impactful ways.” 

Since establishing the BÄM Collective, Mediaplus has seen significant growth in how creative media is approached within the agency. With members dedicating 20% of their time to the collective, they continually bring fresh ideas and perspectives. “This international collaboration, spanning from Dubai to Europe to the USA, brings together diverse cultures and disciplines, fostering an environment where innovation thrives. Looking ahead, we aim to expand this cross-disciplinary and cross-border approach, recognising its importance to our international clients. By continuing to blur the lines between creativity and media, we believe we can drive even greater growth and impact for brands in an increasingly complex media landscape.”

That complexity is central to why things are changing, it seems. Max Askwith, global innovation partner at dentsu, finds it hard to overstate. “In today’s complex media and marketing landscape, the stakes have never been higher,” he says. “With investment stretched thin and algorithms driving much of our industry, the challenge for brands is not just to capture attention but to sustain it in an environment where consumer engagement is more critical than ever. The real opportunity lies in thinking differently – at the intersection of media and creative – where innovation can truly take hold.”

Media is also blending with commerce more and more, notes the dentsu innovation partner. And the siloed media, creative and commercial expertise brands tap into can’t make the most of this. “Many brands are missing the chance to fully capitalise on the potential of integrating creativity with data-driven insights,” he says. “The future of marketing demands a new approach, one where storytelling is powered by science to craft narratives that resonate deeply and drive lasting impact across all critical touchpoints.”

The response for dentsu is iProspect. Through FUTURELab, the network’s dedicated innovation centre of excellence, Max asserts that “we are leading the charge in radical collaboration, bringing together media, creative, and our clients to design bold, unforgettable moments. By leveraging dentsu’s extensive expertise in entertainment, gaming, and commerce, and always keeping creative at the forefront, we help brands not just navigate but thrive in this convergent age.”

Maybe the 30 or 40 years of media and creative separation were more a blip in the timeline of marketing, rather than a shift for good. Even more creatively-focused agencies are keen to bridge the gap. Brian Melarkey, group creative director at Ogilvy Group Ireland ponders this. “Haven’t we all imagined that utopian future where creative and media live and operate in perfect harmony delivering on a shared vision for client success? The reality however is that for historical, structural, and territorial reasons it can feel like we are still stuck in a world of silos, with creative, media and PR at times feeling like a game of pass the parcel once the campaign creative has been approved.

“This outdated approach simply won't cut it in today's fragmented and fast-paced media landscape,” he asserts. “Consumers don't experience brands in neat little boxes labelled ‘creative’, ‘media’ or ‘PR’. They experience it all as one cohesive story, unfolding across a multitude of touchpoints.”

The reality for people experiencing advertising is only going in one direction. And many agencies seem ready to respond by fostering collaboration. “The abundance of media will only continue, and attention will only become scarcer,” says Chris at Wavemaker. “This demands that creative and media come closer and closer together. Creativity needs media smarts, and media planning is a creative as well as scientific endeavour. This should get everyone excited and provides the perfect conditions for a happy, long lasting marriage of equals.”