The outlook for agencies is “steady.” Satellite offices are popping up, business is on the rise, and development, hiring, marketing and launching new services are among the major investments that agency leaders say they are making for 2025.
A three-year trend continues with creative and account services roles serving as top headcount growth areas, as strategy roles gain traction. And agency margins are forecasted to remain around 25 percent in the coming year, on par with the past two years, and up about 2 percent over 2022.
These are among some of the insights from the 2025 Event Agency Business Outlook released at our Agency Forum in November, and they resonated with a pair of leaders we tapped for commentary on changes, teams, and focus areas heading into the new year in this year-end pulse check.
Event Marketer: How has your agency changed in the last year?
Angie Smith, CEO, InVision Communications
Angie Smith, CEO, InVision Communications: At InVision, we are dedicated to shaping the agency of the future—one that reflects not only our vision, but also the evolving landscape of experiential marketing for our clients.
We believe the future will be more holistic, and so we are adopting an integrated approach that positions event marketing as a crucial component of an omnichannel strategy. To this end, we are enhancing our capabilities in content creation and marketing campaigns. We’ve established a dedicated team to explore the implications of artificial intelligence on our industry, ensuring we remain at the forefront of innovation. Additionally, we have launched InVision’s first Research & Insights practice to provide our clients and the broader community with valuable industry trends and insights. We have also invested in a new wave of talent at InVision, bringing on individuals with diverse experiences across various industries and fresh perspectives on creative and strategic thinking.
Our commitment extends to building account teams that leverage strategic insights to inform our creative processes and the solutions we deliver. We recognize that cmos and marketing leaders are increasingly seeking true partnerships rather than vendor relationships, a status we are determined to earn.
Pepe Parra, Chairman & Founder, 2Heads
Pepe Parra, Chairman & Founder, 2Heads: Over the past year, 2Heads has refined its approach to creating impactful live experiences. Our philosophy, “Experiences, Augmented,” focuses on enhancing every interaction, whether large or small.
We’ve deepened our collaboration with clients, further immersing ourselves in their goals and crafting cohesive narratives that resonate across all channels. By integrating environmental design, digital content, and creative technology, we create immersive experiences that forge meaningful connections. Our diversified production and delivery teams ensure seamless execution, managing largescale projects with precision and reliability. Every detail is carefully aligned to amplify the creative vision and deliver lasting impact.
EM: Culture-wise, what is your proudest accomplishment at the agency?
Angie Smith: Our commitment to investing in our people is evident in everything we do. From comprehensive training programs and dedicated mentorship initiatives, to fostering innovation through specialized labs and company-wide initiatives, we are equipping our team with the tools and opportunities to grow.
InVision is also investing in our people as humans, supporting work/life balance, encouraging staff to give back to the community through paid volunteer days, celebrating achievements with recognition programs, and fostering connection through a dedicated culture club. The result is remarkable: long-term retention of both our staff and our clients.
Pepe Parra: At 2Heads, our proudest cultural accomplishment is building a team defined by trust and support. Our values enable us to work brilliantly together and are the foundation of how we collaborate with clients. We bring together diverse expertise to craft meaningful experiences, blending creativity, strategy, and technology. By working honestly, fairly, and collaboratively, we ensure every interaction reflects our shared vision.
Our production teams exemplify reliability, delivering complex projects on time and with precision. This culture of trust, support, and commitment drives everything we do, promoting confidence and excellence at every step.
EM: Biggest headcount additions are going into which department and why?
Pepe Parra: The biggest headcount additions at 2Heads are focused on our creative and production teams. Our creative teams bring together expertise in design, digital content, and technology to craft immersive experiences that connect with audiences. In production, we’re strengthening our ability to manage an ever-increasing number of complex, largescale projects with precision and reliability.
These additions ensure we continue to deliver innovative, seamless experiences that align with our clients’ goals.
EM: Finish this sentence and explain: The 2025 event agency will have to be focused on…
Angie Smith: … helping brands own each moment in the experiential and customer journey. But how do we define value? It’s more than dollars and cents. It encompasses offering foresight and thought leadership, providing insights into industry trends, market shifts, and customer behavior; understanding and articulating the forces that impact a brand—from rising costs to evolving customer sentiments—while helping brands navigate these challenges in real time; and assisting our marketing partners in conveying the significance of experiential marketing throughout their organizations.
The experiential and events industry faced unprecedented challenges in 2020 and 2021, teaching us valuable lessons about our audiences and the brands we serve. Now, we have the opportunity to seize every moment in our events and client relationships. As we move into the latter half of the decade, we are striving to be stronger, more strategic, future-focused, and client-centric than ever before.
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Image Credits: iStock/Man As Thep
