Of course, action from advertisers must go even deeper than this to fix some of the underlying structural issues that prevent the client-agency relationship from thriving in a way that cultivates talent.

This means overhauling the processes around clear and fair expectations, ways of working, governance and timelines. These can be as simple as streamlining approval and feedback processes to help free up time and headspace for agencies to do what they do best: being creative. Keeping lines of communication open (yet structured) and being respectful of communicating within acceptable working hours must become standard as part of the client-agency relationship. But too often, these lines are not respected.

Advertisers must also consider establishing stronger connections between their brands and agency partners through conducting regular brand immersion sessions and increased transparency on the context in which the business operates. This way, the relationship is less transactional and looks to overcome the perceived lack of purpose from marketing.

Ultimately, nurturing the agency relationship and helping develop its talent is a form of long-term investment, as those talents are key to helping advertisers build strong brands and grow their business.