I recently spoke on a panel at the Mirren Live conference about pricing the value of agency work “in an age of acceleration.” But in 2025, acceleration barely captures it. The demands on brand leaders are relentless: compressed timelines, lean teams, and transformation at warp speed. The old, deliberate pace of business has collapsed. For those who can meet the moment, acceleration isn’t a threat—it’s a growth opportunity. But only if your agencies can keep up.
As a former client-side marketing leader, I saw firsthand how traditional agency models can fall short when brand marketers need the most support. That experience inspired me to build an agency designed to deliver what CMOs say they crave—and where they often feel underserved: Fast, Focus, and Firepower.
Now, from this new seat at the brand table, I advise marketing leaders to raise their expectations. In a landscape moving at breakneck speed, it’s time for agency partnerships that are built for the pace of now. Here’s what the “Three Fs” look like—and why they should be in every creative brief.
Fast: Built for the Pace of Now
Marketers aren’t asking for shortcuts—they’re asking for velocity with precision. Working fast means:
- Making decisions and launching campaigns with clarity and confidence
- Avoiding the cycle of misfires, do-overs, and extended timelines
- Seizing opportunities while they’re still hot
- Running high-intensity, low-drag creative cycles that reflect urgency and intent
“Fast” doesn’t mean rushed or cheaper. It means getting more out of your time, budget, and team’s energy. In an accelerated era, that’s the true ROI.
Focus: Less Distraction, More Impact
One of the greatest luxuries for brand leaders is having a partner who’s not spread thin. Focused teams:
- Prioritize your business like it’s their own
- Deliver sharper, more energized creative work
- Help you cut through chaos, not add to it
- Rally internal teams with clarity and momentum
Multitasking kills momentum. Impactful work demands undivided attention.
Firepower: Big Brains on Big Problems—Fast
Breakthrough ideas don’t need bloated teams or 12-week timelines. They need the right minds, laser-focused on solving the right challenge, right now. When evaluating your agency partners, insist on:
- Expert, hand-picked talent tailored to the task
- High morale from high-impact, high-visibility work
- Ideas that emerge in days, not months
- Pricing models that reward thinking, not time spent
Elite talent can be assembled without the overhead of old-school structures. Firepower is about agility and intensity, not headcount.
What Brand Leaders Should Expect Now
The Fast-Focus-Firepower model isn’t here to replace your AOR or in-house team—it’s a force multiplier. It’s built for the pace and pressure of modern marketing.
If you’re a brand leader feeling underserved, you’re not alone. The pace has changed, but many agencies haven’t. The marketers who win in this new era won’t just react faster—they’ll expect better. And it starts with rethinking what you ask of your partners.
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Dana Hork is the founder and CEO of Beers With Friends, a creative agency that helps brands move fast and think big. Before launching BWF, she led marketing at companies like Walmart, Jet.com, and Wonder. Dana’s a strategist at heart, a fixer by instinct, and always up for a creative sprint—especially if it comes with a side of fun.
