How to Get the Best Performance Out of Your Agency with Kory Marchisotto

The episode frames the client‑agency relationship as a force‑multiplier rather than a simple vendor contract. Kory stresses that alignment begins with treating the agency as an internal team, giving them full visibility into the brand’s calendar, strategy and upcoming initiatives. When agencies understand the broader ecosystem, they can craft pitches, media plans and creative concepts that resonate with the brand’s objectives. This shift from brief‑centric transactions to shared ownership creates a win‑win dynamic that drives higher‑quality work and measurable business impact. Such transparency also shortens feedback loops and accelerates time‑to‑market.

Real‑world examples illustrate how the philosophy works. At Elf, a low‑scoring PR agency revealed a missing marketing calendar, prompting a dinner‑level deep‑dive that reset expectations and equipped the team with the tools to win. During the UK sugar‑tax crisis, Kory assembled all agency partners in weekly ‘mission‑control’ sessions, treating the challenge like a presidential campaign. This borderless approach let a PR specialist influence media planning and a media team suggest creative angles, producing collective ownership and faster, more innovative solutions. The approach also fostered trust, allowing agencies to proactively propose ideas beyond their brief.

The takeaway for senior marketers is clear: invest in human‑centric partnership practices. By inviting agencies into problem‑solving phases, sharing calendars, and celebrating successes together—whether at a NYSE bell ceremony or a holiday town‑hall—companies build loyalty that translates into tangible performance gains. In crises, protecting agency teams and framing setbacks as shared learning preserves institutional knowledge and avoids costly agency turnover. Metrics show that firms with integrated agency models outperform peers by up to 15% revenue growth. Ultimately, a high‑performance, one‑team mindset multiplies impact, reduces friction, and drives sustainable growth for brands navigating today’s fast‑paced market.