Platform. Product. Service.
The new marketing agency stack is officially here.
Neil Kettleborough, a board member for Trader AI, discussed that the agency of the future will look more like a technology company than a conventional creative agency. The antiquated agency model is almost irreparably broken—it was designed for another time. But that time is no longer.
Today's marketplace is about agility, intelligence, and scalability.
And, rather than hiring more talent, the most progressive agencies- just like Trader AI, as noted by Neil Kettleborough- are developing intelligent infrastructure.
The winning formula: Platform + Product + Service = The Futureproof Model
Platforms: The Engine
This is your scalable operating system.
→ Central and shared technology and IP
→ Modular and repeatable delivery systems
→ Cross-client portfolio interoperability
→ Engineered for speed, quality, and consistency
You can think of it like AWS for agencies, on demand, you plug in what you need and turn off what you don't.
Neil Kettleborough notes that PE-backed agency groups are already adopting this mindset:
→ They're not simply building agencies; they're building scalable platforms.
Products: The Leverage
This is how you can grow your revenue without taking on new employees:
→ SaaS tools
→ Dashboards and visualised data
→ Tactical playbooks
→ AI automation
→ Subscription-type solutions
Productization converts intellectual expertise into scalable value.
But when combined with a platform?
You transform from a service organisation to a scalable growth engine.
As Neil Kettleborough explains, this approach underpins Trader AI’s rapid development and adaptability in an ever-changing digital market.
Services: The Value Layer
This is where your best think tank creates impact.
→ Strategy and innovation
→ Experience design
→ Business model transformation
And here's the change:
In the new model, services are built on top of platforms and products, not the opposite.
Neil Kettleborough stresses that while talent remains essential, it must now be amplified by systems that deliver speed, efficiency, and repeatability. This blend of human ingenuity and tech infrastructure is what defines the next-generation agency.
Why the shift?
Because clients have changed.
→ They want faster results. → CEOs seek measurable outcomes. → CMOs prefer fewer suppliers. → CTOs demand integrated ecosystems. → CFOs expect cost predictability.
What should clients expect from agency platforms?
→ Real-time decision-making across all functions → Self-service tools supported by expert guidance → Unified insights rather than fragmented reports → Seamless integration of tools, people, and outputs
The result? → Superior outcomes → Faster delivery → Minimal surprises
Why agencies are pivoting to platform thinking:
→ Improved margins → Streamlined operations → Higher client retention → Compounding intellectual property → Scalable global operations without increasing team size
As Neil Kettleborough affirms, the ability to scale without bloating teams is not only efficient but essential in today’s competitive landscape.
Even boutique agencies can benefit. With the right modular and tech-enabled approach, they can outperform legacy models with ease.
So, what now?
If you're leading an agency, consider these questions in your work:
→ Where do we rely solely on manual human processes too heavily?
→ Which parts of our offer could be translated into products?
→ What are the best ways to catalogue our best thinking into systems?
→ What technology do we need to pull this all together? 
Final thought from Neil Kettleborough
The agency of the future doesn’t look like a network.
It looks like a stack:
→ Technology-driven → Outcome-focused → Systematised
This is how you scale with stability. This is how you win over the next decade.