Agency Report
A Guide for Production Agencies in 2025
With research from CHILI publish showing that more than half of agency graphics professionals believe manual production will be obsolete within five years, production agencies are already beginning to feel the pressure.
Working closely with the world’s top production agencies and their leading brand clients, we see firsthand the increasing demand on agencies to deliver content faster, at greater scale, and with more personalization; all while maintaining quality and consistency.
Faced with limited resources, tighter budgets, and evolving technology, the traditional agency model is being reshaped. If agencies don’t adapt their business models, they risk falling behind, losing relevance, and missing out on opportunities to stay competitive.
So, what can agencies do to keep up in these changing times? This guide offers practical strategies, actionable insights, and real-world examples to help agencies embrace change, boost productivity, and future-proof their businesses through creative automation.
What graphic production challenges are impacting agencies?
At CHILI publish, we’re driven to uncover how evolving demands are impacting the graphic production industry, which led to our investigation into Brandwidth. Our research, which surveyed over 200 respondents from marketing and advertising agencies around the world, revealed key challenges in graphic production that are currently affecting them. Here’s what they shared with us:
1. Consumer demands
47% believe increasing consumer demands and expectations have caused an increased workload for graphic production teams. 42% claim meeting consumer demand for personalized messages and offers is a main reason for the increase in personalization projects in the past 12 months.
2. Resource management
19% report insufficient resources or tools as a main issue preventing workload completion. 23% highlight resourcing challenges and the need for better allocation to optimize production.
3. Time management and deadlines
51% identify time constraints as their biggest challenge. 21% face unrealistic deadlines, adding strain to production schedules.
4. Business and production impact
56% find delayed product launches due to lack of capacity and increasing workloads. 46% experience compromised production processes, negatively affecting their business.
5. Personal impact on employees
59% feel increased stress and anxiety caused by work. 51% struggle to maintain work-life balance due to workload pressures.
6. Branding and consistency
35% say workload pressures lead to branding inconsistencies, which can erode client trust.
Essentially, our research has highlighted a variety of challenges, both personal and professional, that can have a significant financial impact on their agency as a whole. For example, 43% of agency respondents reported missing sales opportunities due to a lack of capacity to handle increased workloads, while 56% revealed that delayed product launches have directly disrupted their financial performance, creating significant ripple effects on their bottom line.
Finding a solution to address all these challenges can feel overwhelming, however, creative automation offers compelling benefits and an effective way forward.
The revolution of digital design and automation
How do you start addressing these challenges?
With 47% of respondents in our research saying that rising consumer demands and expectations have made workloads heavier for their graphic production teams, it’s no surprise that many agencies are struggling to keep up. They simply don’t have the resources to meet the pace their clients expect. This challenge often comes down to a lack of creative automation, which is triggering a far more concerning issue for agencies; more global brands are now bringing their agency work in-house.
For example, a study commissioned by the World Federation of Advertisers found that more than half of large global companies now have some level of in-house creative capability. The study showed that 66% of brands have established in-house agencies, with 21% actively considering creating one. Furthermore, this trend is even stronger among the world's largest companies, with 87% either already operating or planning to build an in-house creative team.
However, forward-thinking agencies are responding by evolving into "Design+Tech" powerhouses, offering cutting-edge, tech-driven solutions that outperform in-house teams.
To meet the massive demands for both dynamic and personalized content, you need team alignment, structuring of first party data, and cutting-edge graphics automation technology.
Is the future “Design+Tech”?
The future of agencies lies in the seamless integration of design, technology, and automation. As audience expectations continue to evolve, brands need more sophisticated, multichannel, and data-driven campaigns to capture attention and drive engagement. Traditional demand generation tactics are losing effectiveness; consumers are more selective than ever, and competition for their attention is fierce.
To stay ahead, agencies must blend strategic creativity with advanced technology, ensuring they can future-proof their business, deliver greater value to clients, and create campaigns that truly resonate with audiences. And with brands demanding faster turnarounds, smarter solutions, and more personalized experiences, Design+Tech agencies are uniquely positioned to lead the way. But what does it take to build one?
There are three priorities that every agency needs to consider making this vision a reality:
Streamlining workflows: Freeing up time to focus on what matters
Time is a precious commodity. In fact, 51% of agencies told us that time constraints are their biggest challenge. Streamlining isn't just about doing things a little faster; it's about creating a more agile and responsive agency. For agencies looking to keep-up, think about using creative automation tools to speed up repetitive tasks, integrating different platforms for smoother communication, and spotting those bottlenecks that slow down approvals.
How: Explore creative automation platforms (like CHILI GraFx), connect your systems (PIM, DAM), and map out your workflows to find areas for improvement.
Benefits: Quicker turnaround times, fewer mistakes (which can help with branding consistency, a concern for 35% of agencies due to workload pressures), a more productive team, and happier clients.
Leveraging AI and data: Making smarter decisions and more personalized experiences
Consumers expect personalized experiences, and 42% of agencies report an increase in projects focused on personalization. AI and data are essential tools for understanding your audience and crafting more impactful campaigns. Agencies should consider utilising AI to anticipate trends and tailor content that truly connects with individual customers.
How: Look into AI-powered personalization tools, use predictive analytics to anticipate upcoming trends, and explore automated design options.
Benefits: Deeper insights into your customers, which leads to better targeting; data-driven decisions (important when 43% of agencies are missing sales opportunities due to capacity); personalized experiences that keep customers engaged and coming back; and the ability to adapt quickly to changing campaign needs.
Bridging creative and tech expertise: Creating campaigns that truly stand out
Brands today need sophisticated campaigns that work across multiple channels and are driven by data, that means bringing creative and tech teams together.
How: Offer cross-training opportunities for your team, encourage IT, designers, and strategists to collaborate, and look for talent with a blend of skills.
Benefits: Projects that are more cohesive and innovative; campaigns that are both creative and technologically advanced; and an agency that's ready for whatever the future brings.
Through this self-service system based on CHILI GraFx, the in-house agency team fully automates 35% of our recurring orders.
How can creative automation support your agency?
For agencies looking to stay competitive and scale efficiently, creative automation can:
- Eliminate manual production: AI-driven automation completely removes the need for manual asset production, enabling overnight, hands-free execution across all channels.
Clients will no longer accept wasted budgets on production work—timelines will shrink dramatically, with assets ready by morning. - Streamline workflows & focus on creativity: With automation handling repetitive tasks, teams can shift their focus to strategy, concept development, and creative innovation. Production speed is no longer a constraint—only creativity and budget set the limits.
- Enable seamless data integration: Automated tools integrate directly with PIM systems, ERP platforms, and marketing tools, ensuring brand consistency and real-time adaptability across campaigns. Data-driven asset production allows for continuous optimization and personalization at scale.
- Enhance employee wellbeing & talent retention: Automation reduces burnout by eliminating tedious production tasks, allowing creative teams to focus on higher-value work. A streamlined, tech-enabled workflow fosters job satisfaction and long-term retention of top creative talent.
CHILI GraFx enabled us to develop more VDP projects than ever before, without resorting to huge traditional agency fees. Our clients jumped on board at the first go.
Where to begin?
From managing increasing workloads to upskilling in evolving technologies, it’s no surprise that agencies and their graphic professionals are feeling overwhelmed. Acknowledging the challenge is the first step; overcoming it is the next. So, for agencies looking to implement creative automation, where should you begin?
Start with automation
To get started with creative automation, agencies should focus on identifying repetitive tasks that can be automated and prioritize implementing those first. Using templates and dynamic layouts makes it easier to quickly produce content variations while still maintaining quality and consistency. Small wins in the early stages can help build momentum and confidence for adopting automation on a larger scale.
Focus on training and upskilling
While automation simplifies processes, teams need to be equipped with the right skills to use the tools effectively. Invest in training sessions and workshops that teach employees how to leverage automation software, interpret analytics, and maintain creativity while managing large-scale production. Upskilling ensures teams feel confident and empowered as they transition to new workflows.
Integrate your systems
For automation to work seamlessly, it’s important to connect creative automation tools with existing platforms like PIM, DAM, and marketing channels. When data flows smoothly from production to distribution, agencies can deliver consistent results and streamline their workflows. Choosing solutions that are both scalable and compatible with existing systems will make a big difference in boosting efficiency.
Build collaborative teams
To get the most out of creative automation, agencies need to encourage collaboration between IT, marketing, and creative teams. Breaking down silos ensures everyone is on the same page, shares knowledge, and works toward the same goals. By aligning these teams, agencies can create an environment that drives innovation, improves productivity, and supports long-term success.
Find a reputable partner
To maximize the benefits of creative automation, agencies should collaborate with a provider that offers the right tools and expertise. A strong partner can guide the integration process, provide necessary training, and ensure smooth alignment with existing systems, helping agencies unlock efficiency and scalability.
Our combined technology empowers retailers to create highly personalized customer experiences at a large scale.
What are the benefits?
Every production agency client has distinct marketing needs and unique expectations. Balancing this demand for personalization with the pressure to deliver quickly and efficiently is no small task.
Creative automation offers a way to streamline graphic production by automating repetitive tasks, enabling teams to scale efficiently and deliver tailored content without compromising quality. With the right tools, agencies can free up their teams to focus on strategy, innovation, and creative problem-solving rather than manual design work.
However, finding a solution that combines flexibility, customization, and ease of use is a challenge. The right creative automation platform should empower agencies to adapt to varied client needs while maintaining efficiency, consistency, and creativity across every campaign.
At CHILI publish, we understand these advantages firsthand. Gary Howard, Creative Director UK at Precision Marketing, shares how creative automation platforms such as CHILI GraFx, have transformed his agency’s approach.
The traditional pricing model of agencies is under threat. Agencies that embrace creative automation technology will be better positioned for the future.
What is the future of creative automation?
Automation and AI are set to shake up the way traditional agencies work, especially those relying heavily on production design for revenue. While some agencies may resist the shift, it’s only a matter of time before clients stop paying for production work and start demanding new ways of working, focusing on strategy and creative ideas instead. With more clients taking work in-house and using their own data to automate, agencies will need to adapt, rethink their approach, and find ways to stay relevant in a world of real-time, data-driven campaigns.
To remain competitive, agencies must embrace automation and AI as key enablers of efficiency and innovation. By upskilling teams and integrating AI tools, they can redefine their value and take the lead in shaping the future of creative production.
Take your first steps now!
At CHILI publish, we’ve helped some of the world’s leading production agencies including HH Global, ARiSTiD, and Precision Marketing, apply creative automation to streamline workflows, reduce costs, and deliver high-quality, personalized content at scale. By using a platform like CHILI GraFx, you too can tackle these challenges, streamline workflows, and open up new opportunities for growth.
Want to read the full details of this report?
Discover all insights of our Guide for Production Agencies in 2025.