This blog is part of a series that explores each of our 10 media predictions for 2026 in more depth.
The media agency landscape is undergoing significant structural change. Traditional project- and retainer-based service models are under pressure as automation and AI expand the scope of what can be delivered through technology – and with fewer humans. At the same time, fee models are tightening and clients are demanding increased accountability transparency and measurable value from their agency partners.
In response, many agencies are developing proprietary platforms, data products and technology-enabled services that move beyond pure human delivery, often referred to as ‘Software as a Service’ (SaaS).This shift is reshaping how agencies generate revenue and how they position themselves with clients.
The shift towards proprietary platforms and SaaS tools
Advances in cloud software, APIs and no-code or low-code tools have made it easier for agencies to build and deploy their own technology layers. While not all these offerings are pure SaaS products, they often function in similar ways; subscription-based, embedded in client workflows, and built to scale across multiple accounts.
Agencies now offer proprietary dashboards, analytics environments, data management layers, marketing automation frameworks and commerce optimization tools under their own brand. Some are built from the ground up, and some are overlays on partner platforms. Compared to project-based work, platform-led offerings tend to provide more predictable revenue streams; furthermore, deeper operational integration can lead to stronger client retention – when an agency’s tools sit inside daily planning, activation and reporting workflows, switching to a new agency becomes more complex.
Most of the major holding groups already operate proprietary platform and SaaS capabilities, including Publicis ’Epsilon, Dentsu’s Merkle, and Omnicom’s Flywheel and Omni. While these are not identical products, they have overlapping capabilities, which can create challenges for advertisers in finding the right fit.
The benefits of SaaS capabilities at media agencies
When implemented well, media agency SaaS products can deliver real advantages for clients. They can improve speed and standardization, and provide access to advanced capabilities that would be costly and time-consuming to build internally. They can also connect strategy, activation and measurement more closely. Aligned technology and service layers will likely result in faster insight generation, more automated optimization, and better cross-channel visibility. In the very best scenarios, this creates amore continuous and more effective partnership instead of a series of disconnected projects.
Potential challenges associated with agency SaaS
The shift to subscription-based platform models also creates risks that advertisers should actively manage. The most significant is the potential conflict between commercial incentives and client interests; clients should be alert to this when the agency is recommending a solution that involves its proprietary platform, although this doesn’t negate the fact that the platform may be an effective solution.
Platform dependency is another concern – if reporting, optimization or activation are closely woven into an agency-owned environment, switching agencies can be expensive and disruptive. Long client-agency relationships may result from convenience rather than performance.
Transparency is another area that should be monitored closely. If proprietary tools rely on opaque models or automated decision systems that clients can’t interrogate, it becomes more difficult for clients to understand exactly how their data and ad dollars are being handled and how they are driving value. Data ownership and access rights are also critical and should be agreed at the start of the subscription; without clear contractual terms, advertisers may find it difficult to extract or reuse their own data outside the platform.
What should advertisers watch out for?
Advertisers should assess agency platform and SaaS offerings with the same rigor they would apply to any technology vendor. Key considerations prior to signing up to an agency SaaS product include:
• Clear and transparent pricing structures, including license, usage and data costs
• Explicit disclosure of any embedded media, data or technology partnerships
• Clarity around AI-powered or algorithmic decision systems that might affect spend or performance outcomes
• Contractual audit and benchmarking rights
• Data ownership and access
• Long-term performance and compliance follow-up
• Exit provisions and data extraction support
• Internal capability-building to avoid total dependence on a single proprietary environment
Media agency SaaS – an evolution of the client-agency relationship
The integration of proprietary platforms and SaaS capabilities into agency revenue models is a meaningful shift in the relationship between an agency and its clients. Agencies are extending beyond service delivery into technology and data solutions – these solutions can create real value, but the approach also changes incentive structures and dependency dynamics.
As automation and AI increase efficiency in core delivery tasks, competitive differentiation for media agencies will increasingly come from data assets, technology layers and integrated platforms. This could contribute to more consolidation between groups that have more advanced capabilities.
For advertisers, opportunity lies in greater operational capacity and faster insight – but stronger governance, clearer contracts and higher transparency standards are critical. With the right controls in place, platform-enabled agency relationships can be innovative, accountable and drivers of media and business value.
Explore ECI's Top 10 Media predictions for 2026 - including the emergence of new agency revenue generation models.
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