The past week brought a fascinating tension to the surface across Indie Agency News members’ work: the gap between what exists and what’s needed. Whether it’s Mischief @ No Fixed Address creating a film that doesn’t exist to prove plus-size representation barely exists, Klick declaring the end of prompt-writing as we know it, or Vuja Dé Digital dissecting how Amazon’s grocery play is less about groceries and more about perception engineering — indies are calling out the spaces where old assumptions break down.
Meanwhile, recognition rolled in for the builders: BackPocket Agency celebrated Michelle Jackson’s Content Marketer of the Year win, Serviceplan Group tallied seven Effie bronze medals, and Powell Communications marked 25 years of earned recognition work with some recognition of their own. And across healthcare, retail strategy, and creative execution, agencies delivered insights that felt less like announcements and more like strategic intelligence worth paying attention to.
Let’s get into it.
🎬 When the Film Doesn’t Exist
Making absence visible
Mischief @ No Fixed Address created something provocative for JCPenney and Ashley Graham: a fake film trailer called “Omitted” that doesn’t exist. Why? While 67 percent of women wear plus sizes, less than one percent are cast as main characters in top films. The campaign launched Graham’s new plus-size clothing line by spotlighting the representation gap in entertainment — using the absence of something to sell the presence of something new.
🤖 The Prompt is Dead, Long Live the Agent
AI’s next evolution reshapes how work gets done
Klick made a declaration: the way you write prompts is over. Agentic AI refers to autonomous digital assistants that research, draft, design, and deliver content without requiring micromanagement — eliminating the need for prompt engineering.
Karsh Hagan looked at the same shift through travel: AI is becoming “the new front door to travel discovery.” For travel brands, it’s no longer just a tool — it’s the primary means of discovery.
🛒 Amazon’s $5 Psychology Experiment
When price perception becomes the product
Vuja Dé Digital broke down Amazon’s strategic move in the grocery aisle: dropping 1,000+ items under $5 isn’t about groceries, it’s about price perception. Every SKU under $5 becomes a psychological trigger, every shopping cart a conversion funnel optimized for volume over margin.
🏥 Healthcare Gets Honest
When telling the truth is the strategy
Territorial launched a case study about doing something revolutionary and obvious: getting quality healthcare to hard-working Americans. Their work for Centivo helped build the company’s first brand awareness campaign, prompting us to question the compromises we make about our care.
🏆 The Recognition Roll Call
When the industry says “we see you”
BackPocket Agency celebrated Michelle Jackson’s Content Marketer of the Year Award from the Women in Content Marketing Association.
Serviceplan Group earned seven bronze medals at Effie Germany 2025 — from gay sheep to sausage promoters to David vs. Goliath strategies proving real efficiency gains.
Zambezi landed three OMMA finalist spots for work with Liquid I.V. and LPL Financial.
📈 Growth Moves and Strategic Hires
Building for what comes next
Yes& Agency brought on Dawn Ridge as Senior Vice President of Growth. With more than two decades leading data-driven strategy for brands like Kleenex and NBCUniversal, Ridge will help drive the agency’s next growth stages.
Klick welcomed 21 senior leaders across multiple disciplines — marking another milestone in what they’re calling a record-breaking year of growth. The new talent strengthens their work in oncology, specialty medicine, and creative storytelling in health campaigns.
💡 Strategic Intelligence from the Field
Insights that change how you think
Response Media tackled a CPG marketer pain point: proving ROI across an increasingly fragmented retail landscape without the tools to do so.
BarkleyOKRP shared their 2024 Impact Report’s Clients section, highlighting the work they shipped with partners throughout the year.
Chameleon Collective observed the traditional full-time marketing role getting a fractional makeover, calling it a critical trend confirmed by a recent Ad Age article.
VaynerMedia shared three takeaways about podcasting from Prashant Nayar’s IAB Podcast Upfront panel — the medium isn’t slowing down.
🎨 Creative That Makes You Think
Or laugh, or question everything
Toilet Paper Concept Shop dropped Series 4 of CRAP IDEAS (that kinda slap) — campaign concepts living at the intersection of “please don’t” and “wait… what if?”
Serviceplan Group launched a global rebranding campaign for Bitpanda, titled “When crypto, then Bitpanda,” featuring “Bitpanda Green” as a visual symbol of financial freedom.
🗣️ Industry Voices Worth Hearing
When leaders share what they’re learning
Powell Communications marked 25 years of helping creative businesses earn recognition for their work, talent, and insights — celebrating the milestone by sharing their next step.
Serviceplan Group published an interview with CEO Florian Haller in Handelsblatt about the future of advertising and the role of AI. In Germany, marketing is still often viewed as a cost factor, but in times of crisis, communication becomes a decisive growth driver.
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