Let’s be honest. Traditionally, the term “in-house agency” has evoked less-than, bland, safe. It’s been judged as the place where creatives go to gasp out their last campaigns, with the sword poised above. And yet, viral marketing and profiles of burgeoning brands are proving that the in-house level of thinking is kicking ass.
It turns out that a deep dive into one brand, that one truly believes in, can forward the thinking of creative problem-solvers, landing them in brain spaces quite unexpected. As Tim Roan, executive creative director at Lyft, puts it, “For the first time, as a creative, you’re not a rock star. Lyft is an engineering company. Here, the spin is product and business.” He’s clearly excited about the fact that the creative department spills over into other areas of the company, seeping into daily decision-making in everything from product line extensions to city ordinances to packaging.