CPRA reveals the 2026 Golden Target Awards shortlist

Samantha Townsend has started at the University of Queensland Medical School as Manager Clinical Engagement and Communications. She was recently Communications Manager at the Queensland Aboriginal and Islander Health Council (QAIHC) for nearly three years. Prior to this, Samantha worked at Health Translation Queensland and agency-side at Phillips Group, followed by her career in news journalism. 

In the dynamic world of communications and marketing, the relationship between agencies and in-house teams represents one of the industry's greatest opportunities for transformation. While there's often an unspoken "us versus them" narrative, the agencies thriving today are those not only actively dismantling this outdated model; they’re taking a wrecking ball to it, and they're doing it by building teams with dual experience.

Having sat on both sides of the fence for years, I've witnessed firsthand how agencies equipped with both corporate and agency backgrounds don't just deliver better work, they fundamentally change the nature of the partnership itself.

The untapped advantage

The challenge is real: agencies are often asked to deliver strategic brilliance while navigating internal politics, complex approval processes, and clients who may struggle to fully articulate their business needs. Meanwhile, in-house teams need partners who can grasp brand nuances, understand internal constraints, and operate as true extensions of their organisation.

The agencies rising above this friction are those investing in a critical differentiator: teams who've actually lived the corporate experience.

When agencies build their benches with talent who have spent meaningful time within corporate structures, something remarkable happens. These professionals don't just understand the brief - they anticipate the unspoken context around it. They've personally navigated budget cycles, championed initiatives across departmental silos, and learned the crucial distinction between a brilliant idea and a practically implementable solution within a large organisation.

Turning insight into impact

This dual perspective enables agencies to deliver work that goes beyond creative excellence. Consider a new product launch: while the product itself is important, agencies with corporate DNA recognise the surrounding opportunities - the story about investment in local manufacturing, job creation potential, or government engagement angles that resonate deeply with CEOs and Corporate Affairs leadership.

These agencies naturally ensure all activity ladders back to the overarching corporate narrative because they've sat in those strategy sessions. They understand how to frame recommendations not just in marketing metrics, but in the language of reputation management, legislative advocacy, and employer branding that spans the entire C-suite.

Equally valuable is their practical business acumen. They can assess regulatory constraints, gauge risk appetite, and evaluate operational feasibility because they've lived these realities.  Rather than pitching ideas that sound exciting but would require 18 months of factory testing and substantial production costs, they arrive with strategies that are both creative and strategically viable within the client's real-world environment.

The partnership multiplier

This dual understanding transforms the agency-client relationship from transactional to genuinely strategic. The agency becomes a true extension of the in-house team, deeply invested in holistic business success rather than isolated campaign wins. They speak the language of quarterly KPIs and long-term strategic objectives simultaneously. They anticipate internal challenges and craft solutions that gain traction with decision-makers.

Most importantly, they build trust faster and maintain it longer because they fundamentally understand what their clients are navigating every day.

Building the future

For agencies, this represents a significant competitive advantage and a compelling talent strategy. Actively recruiting professionals with genuine in-house tenure, not just agency pedigree, creates teams who can navigate and solve for complexity in ways that purely agency-bred talent cannot.

For in-house teams, this means recognising and leveraging this expertise. The best partnerships happen when agencies are given in-depth onboarding, integrated into strategic planning processes, and empowered to act as true extensions of the business. When roadblocks to embedding agencies fully are removed, the quality of work and speed of execution improve dramatically.

The agencies winning today are those building bridges, not just campaigns.

They're investing in dual-experience teams who can walk into a client meeting and immediately grasp not just the marketing challenge, but the organisational dynamics, stakeholder pressures, and practical constraints that shape every decision.

This isn't just a better way to work, it's the foundation of genuine business partnership. And in an increasingly complex marketplace, that partnership approach is quickly becoming the only sustainable path forward.

Perspectives is a Telum Media submitted article series, where diverse viewpoints spark thought-provoking conversations about the role of PR and communications in today's world. This Perspectives piece was submitted by Erin Sing, Executive Director, Melbourne at Havas Red, where she leads the firm's Melbourne operations and advises organisations on reputation, communications and stakeholder engagement.

Backed by more than 16 years' experience spanning corporate affairs, public relations, public affairs, and marketing, Erin has built a reputation as a trusted communications strategist and leader. She has both agency and in-house expertise, including senior communications and corporate affairs roles at Mars Australia & New Zealand, Australian food manufacturer Kinrise, and had previously founded and led her own agency.

Combining strategic counsel with creative thinking to deliver measurable impact, her work has been recognised with multiple CPRA Golden Target Awards. She is passionate about helping brands build trust, influence conversations, and create lasting business value.

Caterina Polistina has joined Multicultural NSW as Associate Director, Media and Communications. She has finished at the NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water as Principal Communications Lead on the Saving our Species program. Prior to this, Caterina has worked at Transport for NSW and Western Sydney Wanderers.