The Shift: From One-Off Projects to Long-Term Creative Partnerships

The way brands collaborate with creative agencies is changing—and it’s a shift that’s not just practical but necessary in today’s ever-changing economy. The traditional model of hiring an agency for one-off projects, handing over a brief, and waiting for a big reveal is becoming less common. Sure, it’s still happening, but there’s also a shift in the types of partnerships, too. Instead, brands are seeking partners (like yours truly) who can integrate seamlessly with their internal teams, provide flexible support, and bring strategic creative thinking to the table.

Here’s why this hybrid creative agency model is not just a trend but the future of what we believe to be the new norm.

Why Hybrid Teams Are the New Standard

Today, 62% of companies have adopted a hybrid work model, blending in-house expertise with external partners. This isn’t just about remote work—it’s about building agile teams that can expand or contract based on creative needs. Brands are realizing that bringing in flexible, adaptable partners means moving faster, working smarter, and scaling up for key moments without the long-term overhead.

This is exactly why our collaborative model here at Lāer resonates with our clients. Instead of replacing in-house talent, we integrate into our clients’ existing teams by plugging into project management tools, Slack channels, and creative reviews. We become a part of the team, providing support that’s there when they need it and invisible when they don’t.With luggage brand, Away, we established a year-plus partnership with the creative team to support the brand on an ongoing basis from anything and everything, like executional day-to-day copy asks, to larger creative pushes. We grew close with their production team, designers, and operational experts working as a team to meet deadlines, execute deliverables, and be a teammate they could truly rely on any given moment.

To see a glimpse of the work we did in partnership with Away, you can read our case study here.

Campaigns That Cut Through the Clutter? They Start with Collaboration

Some of the most iconic campaigns out there—you know…those splashy, attention-grabbing moments we all remember—are built through deep, collaborative partnerships with creative agencies. Take Super Bowl ads, for example. Most people assume these campaigns are the product of massive internal creative teams. But the reality? Many of these high-impact moments happen because brands bring in creative partners who can help them think bigger and execute smarter.

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One recent example that comes to mind is Hellmann’s 2024 Super Bowl ad, “Mayo Cat.” Developed in partnership with the creative agency VML, the campaign turned a simple product message into a memorable moment—using humor, celebrity storytelling, and, of course, a talking cat to highlight their “Make Taste, Not Waste” initiative. It’s a reminder that an outside creative partner can push a brand’s narrative beyond the obvious, tapping into culture, sparking conversation, and delivering a message people actually want to engage with.

And…it’s not just about big ideas—it’s about bringing the right people together to shape them. Our model at Lāer is built for that. We don’t just show up with ideas—we come ready to collaborate, ask the right questions, and align with your team’s vision, and, of course, the brief at hand. That’s how we help turn creative sparks into fully formed messaging campaigns that live well beyond a well-designed deck.

Flexibility is the New Must-Have

If there’s one thing brands are looking for today, it’s flexibility. Campaigns move fast. Launch dates change. Additional revisions are needed. Priorities shift based on performance. And when it comes to creative support, brands need partners who can adapt just as quickly.

It’s why around 70% of Super Bowl ads since 2020 have leveraged celebrity talent and creative agency collaborations. Brands are assembling teams based on the needs of the moment, without the time or cost of hiring a full-time team member. 

We recently worked with FILA as a creative partner, and we were able to provide remote and in-office support to not only build camaraderie amongst the team but showcase the benefit of integrating creative partners with brand team members, not just to attend all-hands, but to be that copywriting support for any type of question that came about.

This approach isn’t limited to big-budget commercials. Even smaller campaigns benefit from having the right people in place at the right time. That’s exactly how we partner with brands—offering the flexibility to scale up for significant or seasonal launches that are high volume (or scale down for slow seasons) and the adaptability to handle scattered one-off or quick-turn projects, all while keeping the creative process seamless and efficient.

Why It Matters

The most effective hybrid creative agency models happen when external teams feel like an extension of internal ones. At Laer, we believe in truly getting to know our clients. Which doesn’t just mean asking them about how their day is going, but bonding over similar interests, our pets, or upcoming trips we can’t stop talking about.Sure, it is about understanding the brand voice, knowing how the team works, and showing up consistently, but also on a human level, too. Not just for those big moments but for the day-to-day needs that keep creative projects moving like, brainstorm calls with designers to discuss new concepts, updating copy based on recent email or sales performance, checking in on workload with the client’s copywriters to see how we can offload some things, and the list goes on.

And that’s where we thrive. We’re not just about delivering copy and moving on. We’re about embedding ourselves in the process, learning how your team works, and showing up as creative partners who truly care about the long game.

Because we believe that the best creative happens when it’s collaborative.

And that’s the kind of partnership we love to build.

For more information about our approach, services, and team, we’re sharing all the details here.