Jen Sharpe, founder and managing director, Think HQ.
One of the defining movements of 2025 - if you could peer through the mountain of AI bluster - was the continued shift toward "agency village" models across both the government and corporate sectors.
Sasha Mackie recently wrote about the benefits of working within her Village to launch HBO Max in Australia. Her piece inspired me to provide the agency perspective. Specifically, given Think HQ sits on both government and corporate villages and often wears different hats depending on the composition of agencies and skill sets.
Our experience with Villages has been overwhelmingly positive over the last five years. In fact, there is nothing more liberating than being part of a team of highly-skilled communications professionals who don’t have to compete - but actually get to collaborate. The output is objectively better. It leans toward a truly integrated solution rather than a default "paid-first" mentality.
Here are my reflections on what makes a Village thrive - and what causes them to struggle.
What works well
- When roles are clearly defined Most larger agencies now have broad, integrated capabilities, and at Think HQ, we often have the internal talent to extend into several areas. However, for a Village to succeed, each agency must know exactly where their "sandbox" ends and the next one begins to avoid duplication, wasted budget, and friction. Honestly, this is something I struggled with at the start of being a part of a village, but there are benefits in that you get to grow your own capability in areas by working closely with those that have more experience.
- When budgets are based on strategy, not who shouts the loudest A healthy Village environment ensures that the budget follows the best idea rather than the most aggressive agency head. When the client allocates funds based on strategic necessity, it removes the "land grab" mentality and keeps the collective focus on the campaign's goals.
- When the communications solution is dictated by the strategy, not a paid-first mentality True integration happens when we solve the problem first and select the channel second. If the strategy dictates that community engagement or earned media is the most effective path forward, a successful Village pivots there without being anchored to a heavy, traditional paid-media spend.
- When all disciplines are treated with equal value The magic happens when research, PR, creative, digital, diverse audience tech and media are all seen as equal levers. When every voice at the table is respected, the creative is more grounded and the media is more innovative, leading to a much more cohesive and high-performing output.
- When agencies develop strong relationships without the client! The most efficient Villages are those where agency leads can pick up the phone and solve a problem together before it ever reaches the client’s inbox. Developing that "back-channel" trust creates a united front and a much smoother workflow for everyone involved. Not every client likes it, but it does often make life easier for everyone.
When a Village struggles
- The Village Client favours one discipline over another If a client is biased toward one specific channel - like traditional advertising- the other agencies often feel like they are just "retrofitting" their work to fit a predetermined mould. For example, the phrase from creative “just PR this” sends a shiver up the spine on every below the line specialist.
- When an agency agitates for a bigger piece of the pie The moment an agency starts white-labelling services or pitching for work already assigned to a partner, the collaborative spirit dies. This internal "cannibalism" creates a culture of defensiveness rather than openness.
- When boundaries are blurry Ambiguity is the enemy of collaboration. Without clear "swim lanes," you end up with two agencies performing the same task or, worse, critical tasks falling through the cracks because everyone assumed someone else was handling it.
- When agencies don’t respect each other A Village is only as strong as its mutual professional respect. The no dick-head rule should absolutely apply.
- When the Village mix is too narrow While the federal government village incorporates research, media, advertising, PR, multicultural First Nations and evaluation, often corporate villages may only look to incorporate advertising, digital and social. There is a missed opportunity not to incorporate research, diverse audiences with a strong focus on multicultural audiences, plus earned attention.
Conclusion
Ultimately, the shift toward the Village model isn’t just a structural change, it’s a cultural one. For agencies, it requires us to check our egos at the door and trade the old "us vs. them" mentality for a genuine "we."
When the focus shifts from protecting billings to protecting the integrity of the strategy, everyone wins - especially the client. As we navigate the complexities of 2026 and beyond, the most successful agencies won't be those who try to do everything themselves (even though a bunch of us can), but those who excel at being part of something bigger.