Agility in Marketing: How The Most Successful Agencies Stay Ahead of Change
In today’s fast-paced digital environment, agility isn’t just a buzzword—it’s a survival strategy. Marketing landscapes evolve rapidly, from shifting consumer behaviors to new technologies, and agencies that can pivot quickly are the ones delivering lasting value. The most successful marketing agencies stay ahead of these changes by embedding agility into their processes, ensuring they are always prepared for the next challenge.
At EKG, we believe that agility is one of the most critical elements in the agency-client relationship. For advertisers, it’s no longer enough for your agency to execute a strategy; they must be able to adapt, innovate, and respond to market changes in real time. Below, we explore how top-performing agencies are leveraging agility to drive success—with real-world examples that show what’s possible when agencies stay nimble.
1. Adapting Quickly to Consumer Behavior Shifts
Consumer behaviors can change overnight, and agencies that are able to pivot quickly in response to these changes ensure their clients remain relevant and competitive. In the past 18 months, we’ve seen consumer preferences shift dramatically, especially with the rise of eco-conscious buying and hybrid shopping experiences.
Example: Patagonia’s Response to Climate Conversations
In 2023, Patagonia doubled down on its environmental activism by responding swiftly to global climate events. When extreme weather hit, Patagonia’s marketing and agency teams shifted their content strategy to promote eco-friendly solutions, using real-time data on climate change to engage audiences with urgency. By quickly adjusting their messaging to fit current conversations, Patagonia positioned itself as a brand that responds to critical environmental issues in real time, aligning with its core mission and resonating with socially conscious consumers.
EKG Insight: Successful agencies anticipate shifts in consumer behavior and rapidly adjust their strategies. Agility means not just reacting to change but having the foresight to pivot before it’s too late. Advertisers should push their agencies to stay proactive in tracking trends and adjusting campaigns accordingly.
2. Embracing New Platforms and Channels Early
The digital marketing world is evolving quickly, with new platforms and channels emerging at an unprecedented rate. In the past 18 months, brands have had to adapt to the rise of platforms like BeReal and the ongoing popularity of short-form video content on TikTok and Instagram Reels.
Example: Sephora’s Engagement on BeReal
Sephora recognized the potential of the BeReal platform, where users share unfiltered, authentic content in real time. Partnering with its agency, Sephora became one of the first major beauty brands to experiment with BeReal, showcasing behind-the-scenes looks and real-time promotions that aligned with the app’s ethos of authenticity. By embracing BeReal early, Sephora was able to tap into Gen Z audiences and create a sense of immediacy around its products, resulting in increased engagement with a younger demographic.
EKG Tip: Encourage your agency to stay agile by exploring emerging platforms, even if they seem unconventional at first. A willingness to experiment and adopt new digital spaces—whether it’s BeReal, TikTok, or AI-driven environments—gives brands a competitive edge.
3. Optimizing Campaigns in Real-Time
Over the last two years, real-time optimization has become essential for maximizing campaign performance. Agencies that leverage live data to make rapid adjustments to targeting, messaging, and creative are the ones driving higher ROI for their clients.
Example: Airbnb’s Real-Time Creative Optimization
In 2023, Airbnb launched its latest global campaign with a focus on dynamic creative optimization. By using real-time data from different regions and traveler preferences, Airbnb and its agency partners adjusted campaign elements, including headlines, images, and call-to-actions, based on real-time booking patterns. This enabled them to deliver personalized content at scale, significantly improving engagement and increasing booking conversions across different markets.
EKG Tip: Your agency should be monitoring real-time data across all active campaigns and be prepared to tweak everything from targeting to creative elements. Advertisers should demand frequent campaign optimizations to maximize performance as soon as opportunities arise, not after they’ve been missed.
4. Agile Creative and Content Production
Content creation no longer follows a strict, months-long timeline. In today’s market, successful agencies have agile production processes that allow them to respond quickly to real-time trends, ensuring brands remain relevant and timely.
Example: Duolingo’s Real-Time TikTok Adaptations
Duolingo continued its dominance on TikTok in 2023 and 2024 by adapting its content to the latest trends almost daily. The marketing team and its agency partners quickly identified viral trends and memes, integrating their mascot, Duo the Owl, into humorous and timely posts that aligned with TikTok culture. By rapidly producing content that capitalized on real-time moments, Duolingo became one of the most followed and engaged brands on the platform, seeing increased app downloads and growing its Gen Z audience.
EKG Insight: Agile content production isn’t just about speed—it’s about having the infrastructure in place to react quickly when the moment calls for it. Advertisers should challenge their agencies to adopt workflows that allow for rapid creative execution when opportunities emerge.
5. Using Agile Frameworks to Execute Campaigns
Agile marketing frameworks are becoming more popular across industries, allowing brands and their agencies to work together in iterative sprints to achieve better outcomes. In the past 18 months, we’ve seen many top brands adopt these frameworks to improve campaign efficiency and performance.
Example: IBM’s Agile Marketing Transformation
In 2023, IBM revamped its approach to digital marketing by implementing agile marketing sprints with its agency partners. These short, focused periods allowed IBM’s team to prioritize high-impact marketing tasks, execute rapidly, and adjust based on real-time performance feedback. This agile framework helped IBM launch more effective digital campaigns faster, while continuously iterating and optimizing along the way.
EKG Tip: Advertisers should encourage their agencies to adopt agile methodologies, which allow for continuous iteration and faster turnaround times. Agile marketing frameworks encourage real-time adjustments, faster deployment, and better cross-team collaboration, making campaigns more effective.
6. Rapid Experimentation and Innovation
Agility in marketing is also about continuously experimenting with new ideas and technologies to stay ahead. Agencies that foster a culture of experimentation and innovation are better positioned to discover breakthrough strategies that drive long-term success.
Example: Nike’s AI-Powered Personalization
Earlier this year, Nike ramped up its efforts in AI-driven personalization to create more customized shopping experiences. Using AI to track customer preferences and purchase behaviors, Nike’s marketing team and agency partners delivered real-time, personalized product recommendations across digital channels. This experiment with AI-led recommendations improved conversion rates and increased customer loyalty by providing consumers with tailored experiences at every touchpoint—whether they were shopping on the app, website, or in-store.
EKG Insight: Encourage your agency to embrace a culture of rapid experimentation. This means constantly testing new ideas, ad formats, and creative concepts—allowing brands to innovate and discover breakthrough strategies more frequently.
Agility as the Key to Marketing Success
In an ever-evolving digital landscape, agility is no longer optional—it’s a necessity. The most successful agencies are those that continuously adapt to change, embrace emerging platforms, optimize in real time, and foster a culture of experimentation. For advertisers, aligning with an agile agency means not only staying ahead of competitors but also driving sustainable growth through innovation and adaptability.
At EKG, we specialize in helping brands and agencies build agile marketing practices that drive measurable results. Whether it’s optimizing real-time campaigns, fostering collaboration, or integrating agile methodologies, we’re here to ensure you remain at the forefront of the marketing evolution.
Ready to Build Agility Into Your Marketing Strategy?
If you’re ready to take your marketing to the next level by building agility into your agency relationships, EKG is here to help. Contact us at EKG and let’s discuss how we can help your brand stay nimble, adaptive, and successful in an ever-changing landscape.