In-housing. The Frito-Lay way.
In-housing. It’s a phrase that’s been bandied about extensively in recent times. And even more so since the start of - dare we say it again - the pandemic.
From white papers and blogs to boardroom conversations (or ‘boardZoom’ if you will), if you’re a marketeer, the likelihood is you’ve read or overheard the phrase mentioned in some capacity or another over the last 22 months.
And for good reason.
Amidst turbulent climates, remote working, and scrutinized budgets, in-housing marketing processes are no longer just a CFO’s pipe dream, but a reality borne out of necessity - with ‘efficiency’ and ‘control’ being arguably the two biggest benefits.
No doubt, a tighter grip on budgets is enough to send most finance teams into an excited frenzy, but it’s the control over brand messaging, and the subsequent ability to react and pivot with the speed that today’s climate demands, that will be of particular allure to both brand managers and creative directors alike.
Of course, in-housing isn’t always as straightforward as an overnight transition. You’ve got to have the right tools, and in the case of Frito-Lay, the right people in place to pull it off. Who incidentally has given us an absolute masterclass in how in-housing can be done.
Since headhunting and prising Vice President of Creative & Digital, Chris Bellinger, from his own Dallas-based-agency, Hybrid Creative, in 2018, he’s turned the snack heavyweight’s small creative team into a full-blown, in-house agency, fit to rival any major advertising player - with Superbowl ads and well over 1000 pieces of produced content for the brand’s portfolio already firmly under its belt.
Some feat. It’s safe to say that Frito-Lay’s in-house agency venture has been an undisputed success - and cuts a template that brands around the world can learn from.
As Chris puts it, the journey so far has been “all the cool shit with none of the bullshit.”
Remember what we said about the allure of creative control? Chris’ pitch to prospective new colleagues is nothing if not inspiring:
”Your ideas will see the light of day. You’re not leaving the environment of a creative agency – the only difference is you’ll be working internally. And we’re gonna do it quicker and get more opportunities to take bites of the apple.”
It's an exciting prospect for any brand reading this that’s looking to establish their own in-house team - but we should be clear, Frito Lay’s in-housing success is a result of smart work and an incredible vision - one they had pre-pandemic too, we might add.
Frito-Lay is yet another example of a forward-thinking brand - one with the kind of irrefutable foresight - that has enabled them to thrive in mid and post-pandemic conditions. And that is why they’re our BrandIcon for December.
We couldn’t be more excited to see what Chris and his team of Frito-Lay creatives do next.
About ReMake.
Radically efficient and cost-effective, ReMake is the ultimate in-house power-up that enables brands to extract full value from their content, and scale their story around the world whether they want 20 assets or 20,000. A ground-breaking, no compromise, work-from-anywhere, versioning platform that’s built around the needs of tired content-creators and frustrated decision-makers.
Promising simplicity, speed, and scale - ReMake restores capacity and releases budget. And it’s the first platform to automate the process of adapting and localising video content without using predefined templates, that force you to bend or break your brand.
With ReMake you don't need to sacrifice common sense in favor of redundant features and over-complication. Our platform kills complexity with a precision response to need and a user experience that’s unparalleled in its simplicity. It means creatives can focus on what they do best, creating. Instead of locking their time into repetitive, boring, and expensive content iterations.
No learning curves. No headaches. No experience necessary.
Book a demo - in just 20 minutes you'll know whether ReMake can explode the potential of your story.
