• What’s Your Purpose?

    September 25, 2023

    • by IHAF Staff

    Everyone needs a sense of purpose. Purpose provides direction. It helps us prioritize. And it brings much-needed meaning to daily tasks.

    For in-house agencies, purpose is especially important because it helps us stay focused on the type of work we should be doing as opposed to being sidetracked by …

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  • It’s a Wrap—But, Keep Rapping!

    November 18, 2019

    • by IHAF Staff

    Good in-house agencies keep pace with the demands of the business, proposing solutions and producing materials that support the brand and the bottom line. Great in-house agencies get ahead of the curve—capitalizing on what is while anticipating what’s next. In doing so, they not only fortify their …

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  • It’s Conference Time!

    November 04, 2019

    • by IHAF Staff

    Excitement is mounting with the 2019 IHAF Conference & Awards around the corner. With an action-packed two-day agenda including keynotes from Dropbox, Hallmark, Orvis and Coca-Cola, we’re exploring the strategies and skills in-house agencies need to be ready and resilient in the future.

    As a …

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  • What I’ve Learned Interviewing 20 In-House Leaders

    October 21, 2019

    In just ten years, the number of corporations that ‘fess up to having an in-house agency has nearly doubled. In fact, a study conducted by IHAF and Forrester underscores the reality that insourcing is not a passing fad, but rather, the new normal when it comes to corporate advertising and creative …

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  • Building Purpose Through Disruption

    October 07, 2019

    In an environment of constant change, people crave stability. Even when change is positive, it can be chaotic. I often say our industry is thrilling because it sometimes feels like navigating through a tornado. Most of the time, I stay grounded in the eye of the storm, but there are days when I …

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  • Inspiring a Purpose-Driven Creative Culture

    August 26, 2019

    • by IHAF Staff

    Meet Darren Abbott, Senior VP of Creative at Hallmark Cards—the latest pacesetter we’re pleased to welcome to our roster of speakers for this year’s IHAF Conference & Awards, where we’ll explore the strategies and skills in-house agencies need to future proof their organizations.

    In Darren’s …

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  • Building a Purpose-Driven Culture

    August 20, 2018

    • by IHAF Staff

    During last year’s IHAF Conference & Award’s Show, CEO of We First Branding, Simon Mainwaring, shared how to successfully build your brand’s philosophy, community and cultural leadership. In fact, his session was so well received that we invited him back as a webinar presenter this fall.

    On …

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  • Stimulating Creativity

    July 06, 2015

    I was approached to write this blog on stimulating creativity from the point of view of an external agency creative director “out in the field.” Like anyone else confronted with this sort of challenge, I immediately Googled “stimulating creativity.” That brought up a treasure-trove of writing on …

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  • Building a Creative Environment

    June 08, 2015

    When I was in third grade, my mom and I ran into my teacher (a grim, severe drill sergeant) in the cereal aisle of the grocery store. I still remember how long it took my brain to recognize Mrs. Strictman. Her face was familiar, but foreign in that environment.

    The grocery store was all joy and …

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