Mid-level advertising talent sees stress as agencies double down on high-skilled functions

Priya (name changed), a seasoned professional with 13 years of experience, found herself unexpectedly let go after her probation at Ogilvy this year. "It was my second stint at the advertising firm. Previously, I worked in 2013. In December 2024, I got the job, but shortly after a major campaign wrapped in March, I was asked to resign within 15 days. I requested a transfer to another team since I am the sole breadwinner in my family, but after one to one and a half months of uncertainty, I was eventually forced to put in my papers,” she recalled.

Storyboard18 spoke to several other former mid-senior level employees across McCann, IPG, and other large networks, reflecting a sector in transition, driven by the adoption of Artificial Intelligence, the rise of in-house brand teams, and ever-shrinking content cycles.

Sriraj (name changed), a producer who has worked on major campaigns, said that client spending patterns have shifted dramatically as brands have turned to cost-effective and tech-enabled solutions.

"Many clients believe they can do a lot themselves using creators, AI, or design platforms," he said.

Henceforth, to gratify clients, agencies have started cutting jobs and rethinking staffing models. Besides, the push for speed has also reshaped creative workflows.

“A decade ago, a major campaign could run for months. Now content becomes irrelevant within days,” Priya said. With brands demanding multiple formats, variations, and real-time content, agencies have shifted from a quality-at-leisure model to a quality-at-scale approach.

While reports and job indices have reflected a significant churn since 2023 in the advertising industry, industry experts highlighted that the period also marked rapid reinvention in job roles.

Abrar Nakhuda, Chief Digital Officer at Infectious, said brands are now experimenting far more aggressively across platforms. Quick-commerce apps like Zepto and Blinkit have become high-intent advertising environments offering unparalleled ROI visibility, while Meta and Google continue refining personalisation and shoppable ad formats.

'The in-house opportunities'

According to Shantanu Rooj, founder and CEO of TeamLease Edtech, thousands of advertising and media professionals have been redeployed, reskilled, or absorbed into adjacent functions as agencies consolidate and brands build internal capabilities.

Rather than shrinking opportunities, the rise of in-house teams and AI-enabled workflows is creating new, blended roles. “Talent demand isn’t vanishing; it’s changing,” Nakhuda said. “We’re seeing creators who understand data, strategists who can prompt AI, and thinkers who can bridge tech and culture.”

However, repetitive tasks, such as taking meeting notes, preparing basic reports, and internal coordination, are getting automated.

"Jobs that involve routine tasks, such as basic reporting or producing standard content, are the most exposed as of now, because these are tasks machines can do faster and with fewer mistakes. Roles that depend on judgment, creativity, and understanding people, like strategy, storytelling, and client relationships, will remain essential," said Ashima Kakar, Co-founder of BrandPipal (an NLB Services company).

On the rise of AI usage in the advertising industry, experts argued that the new-age technology is not eliminating marketing jobs outright—it is redefining them. “AI and in-house brand teams have compressed timelines and commoditised some executional tasks,” Rooj said. “But this increases demand for high-value services such as strategy, experimentation, and platform orchestration. Upskilling is the bridge.” Industry surveys show strong intent to adopt AI in marketing, with skilling emerging as the biggest operational challenge.

Kakar noted that clients are increasingly seeking talent who can blend strategic thinking with technological capability. “Agencies want professionals who can work seamlessly with tech while retaining the creative instinct that AI can’t replicate,” she said.

Since agencies are reinvesting in roles that “move the needle”, such as creative specialists, technologists, planners, and data thinkers, experts agree that the future will belong to talent who can swiftly leverage both AI and creativity together amid tightened margins and increased competition.

However, many mid-level professionals continue to feel the strain of an industry evolving faster than its people. “I have been in this business for 20-plus years, but never seen it like this. With the rapid advancement of AI design tools, we have become NPAs for agencies,” said a former Publicis Groupe employee.