Blog | Adjera

When Agencies Turn into Platforms: How Smaller Firms Can Compete Without Copying the Giants

For years, agency success was all about size. The bigger the team, the more offices, the longer the client list, the better. But in 2025, things are shifting fast. WPP recently transformed GroupM into WPP Media, a fully unified, AI-powered media platform. This move shows that the biggest players aren’t just trying to get bigger. They’re focusing on speed, automation, and working smarter.

But here’s the interesting part. This change doesn’t have to be bad news for smaller firms. In fact, it might open new opportunities. Just not in the way you might expect.

This Is More Than a Rebrand. It’s a Whole New Way of Working.

What WPP did this year goes beyond just changing the name. They flattened their structure, combined their global operations, and built delivery around a proprietary AI platform called WPP Open. They are turning a group of agencies into something that feels more like a software company.

Their message is simple: one system, one source of truth, and AI helping global clients plan, buy, and measure campaigns like never before. Some see this as the future. Others see it as a threat.

But the real change isn’t the technology itself. It’s how clients’ expectations are shifting.

Clients Are Starting to Expect Systems

Platforms like WPP Open are setting new standards. Clients want to know how quickly things can launch, how everything connects, and where their data is going. It’s less about a flashy pitch deck and more about smooth, clear workflows. Less about glossy brand books and more about easy-to-use dashboards.

But even with these platforms, clients still need real people who understand the messy, complicated side of growth. People who can help make tough decisions, navigate office politics, and weigh trade-offs.

Platforms can’t do that. Good advisors can.

Smaller Firms Don’t Need Their Own Platform. They Need a Strong Point of View.

Boutique consultancies have an edge here. You’re not trying to sell a massive system. You’re helping teams make the right decisions in real time, even when things are uncertain.

You’re not offering full automation. You’re offering clarity, judgment, and advice when the answer isn’t clear-cut.

The firms that succeed now aren’t the ones racing to build their own tech stack. They’re the ones who know how to fit inside someone else’s platform and add real value. They know how to be useful when the assumption is everything can be automated, except trust.

How You Package Your Work Matters More Than Ever

Just like compliance advice is now seen as a way to help clients move faster to market, media and growth consulting is changing too. It’s not about managing ads or optimizing creatives anymore. It’s about removing roadblocks, speeding up campaigns, and helping teams make decisions that stick.

This is where smaller teams shine. When marketing leaders want to test new channels but worry about procurement. When founders wonder if AI-generated campaigns feel authentic. When executives need to present plans, they can confidently defend.

Big agencies might have scale on their side. Smaller firms have context.

It’s Not About Building a Product. It’s About Thinking Like One.

Smaller firms don’t have to create their own WPP Open. But they should rethink how they deliver their services. Can clients handle parts of the work themselves? Can you offer faster, fixed-scope projects instead of long strategy decks? Can your insights feel less like a report and more like a helpful tool?

The winners in this space won’t be those with the biggest list of services. They’ll be the ones who remove the most friction and show up with practical solutions.

Being Ready Matters More Than Being Big

Platforms like WPP Media are changing what clients expect from their agencies. Speed, integration, and insight are table stakes now. But smaller firms don’t need to match big players on infrastructure. They just need to know exactly where they add value and how quickly they can deliver it.

In a world moving toward systems, the most powerful advantage smaller firms have is the ability to sit at the table and say, “Here’s what matters right now, and here’s what we recommend.”

You don’t need a giant platform to make an impact. You just need to be the partner clients trust when the platform doesn’t have all the answers.

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Book a call today or request access if you want to learn more about how we might be able to help your team. The first consultation is absolutely FREE of charge, and is only meant to help you shed light on where your firm could improve. Book here - https://cal.com/usepike/demo