The Case for Independence: Why Clients Deserve More Than the Holding Company Machine
- emkdservice
- Dec 4
- 2 min read
This week’s Omnicom–IPG merger, with 4,000 jobs cut and legacy names like FCB and DDB disappearing, is more than industry news. It’s a reminder of something we all know but rarely say out loud: Big agencies are built for scale. Independent agencies are built for clients.
For years, holding companies have sold the same pitch: a massive network, endless resources, seamless integration. But if you’ve ever waited days for a response, struggled to get a senior person on the phone, or received a plan that felt copy-and-pasted, you know the reality doesn’t always match the promise.
When an organization gets that big, clients become line items instead of priorities. And that’s exactly why independence matters now more than ever.
Independence Means Real Service
At EvolveMKD, there is no “B team” behind the curtain. No bait-and-switch between the pitch and the day-to-day. What you see is what you get: senior leadership who actually shows up.
Every client has hands-on engagement from the people shaping the strategy, not just presenting it. We don’t disappear after the contract is signed. We pick up the phone. We problem-solve fast. We treat your business like it’s ours because that’s the only way independence works.
Holding companies optimize for shareholders. Independent agencies optimize for you.
Independence Moves Faster
The comms and digital landscape shifts constantly. Platforms update weekly, the news cycle resets every morning, and culture moves at hyper-speed. You can’t afford to wait for a five-layer approval chain. Independent agencies are nimble by design. At EvolveMKD, we pivot quickly, act decisively, and eliminate red tape. If something needs to happen today, it happens today. For us, agility isn’t a buzzword—it’s a competitive advantage.
Fresh Thinking Thrives Outside the Machine
Clients often tell us that plans from holding-company agencies feel templated. They’re efficient on paper, but lack the nuance or ambition their brand deserves. Independents don’t have the luxury of phoning it in. We win by bringing original, sharp, modern thinking — whether it’s influencer strategy, PR storytelling, digital content, or scrappy ideas that break through in competitive and highly regulated spaces. We’re not constrained by legacy systems. We’re energized by possibility.
The Future Belongs to Agencies Who Actually Show Up
The industry is consolidating. Names are disappearing. Thousands of talented people are being displaced. And brands are questioning whether size still equals value. If your brand is feeling overlooked, slowed down, or stifled inside the holding-company model, this is your moment to rethink what partnership should feel like. You deserve a partner who cares, responds, thinks, and delivers. Independent agencies can do that because independence forces clarity: Clients first. Always.
If you want to explore what an independent, high-touch agency can unlock for your business, drop us a line. Mark our words: the future of this industry will be defined by the partners who actually pick up the phone.