A new pace is entrenched in an industry that has long reigned at its best for accuracy, planning and preparation. Large events still benefit from long lead times and strategic planning cycles, but parallel trends are emerging. We value speed, spontaneity and instantaneous seizure. Driven by clients who want to move at a pace of digital transformation, cultural trends and real-time communication, agencies are increasingly responding to tougher timelines and expectations-changing briefs.
So is this just a side effect of today’s fast world world, or is it a deeper change in how brands and companies attract audiences? We asked industry leaders to unleash what’s behind the acceleration and how they’re adapting to keep them.
Is the lead time shorter?
Mark Scale, head of client services at asembl.group, explains that short lead times and tight deadlines are always part of the agency’s life, and that while large, flagship events look at predictable calendars, he believes that clients are becoming increasingly agile and creative with what they want to do. He states: “Clients are jumping more and more at things that are freeing up last minute budgets to seize cultural moments and timely opportunities, and are freeing up more strategic budgets. They continue to structure and carefully consider more strategic events, but they see a desire to act faster, jump on trends and capture the jidgists.”
He discovers that more reactive or improvised event types are the ones that are most affected by the quick turns and by short timelines, adding that briefs are often half formed, such as field marketing activations and last-minute offsites. He states: “Someone has an idea or have seen something, they have a budget, but the details are not fully thought out. They are exciting, but they are also gambling. These types of projects are sporadic, high pressure, tend to change, and many should not pass the concept phase.
Catherine Turner, founder and CEO of CTL Communications, explains that digitization is always a major enabler of on-and-real-time communication. She said: “That big shift coincides with clients who have a few years of volatile macros and big agendas and change programs, often overloaded with initiatives. So, short lead times stay here and we enjoy the challenge.” She also explains in her experience that small meetings and events, especially virtual meetings, are more affected by shrinking the timeline, but are usually booked quite ahead of time.
How agents evolve to handle faster turnarounds
In response, ASEMBL sharpens how to build all short, deeper, more strategic client relationships, and acts like a true partner that helps you understand your client’s plans and shape your roadmap. The scale states: “First and foremost, we have strengthened our qualification process. We don’t just say yes to everything. Is this achievable? Is it the right investment of time and energy? What is the chance of success?
They also used insights from past years to tailor clients’ historical activities, leaning towards the assembl.group network and becoming more accurate in their outreach to help them move with more agility.
With a focus on CTL communication, organizations, almost every house team can help you respond quickly to unexpected design capabilities. Turner said: “As planning time is reduced, there is always a need to shift in mindset. A condensed timeline can put additional pressure and stress on team members.
She added: “We make it clear that our clients are speeding up across the project. They know that shorter lead times will have an impact, but we strive to manage expectations along with accurate budgeting and forecasting.”
Manage quality, creativity and team welfare under pressure
As speed increases, the challenge arises: maintaining excellence and supporting teams that are under pressure. Scales said: “The timeline inevitably raises pressure, especially when teams balance core responsibility with fast lead times at the last minute. We are very conscious of the demands this places on people and are very conscious of taking some steps to support our team through these high pressure moments.”
They operate with the “division and conquest” mindset, with each project having a clear owner to coordinate efforts across the team, making sure everyone knows they are responsible. It also embraces flexibility. Scales said: “People know they have daily responsibility. They are often added to the top. They often allow for flexibility in schedules and workloads during busy times. Create points that acknowledge efforts.
They also introduced internal workshops to upskill the team, increasing the pool of freelancers, to build fast translocation delivery, confidence and ability to operate under pressure, and specialized skills. Scales said: “No matter how you compress your timeline, you can scale quickly and maintain quality.”
Turner adds that strong line management is also important to ensure that working hours are taken into consideration, along with adding important forecasts during the project and adding them to the team. She said: “Creativity and quality are closely related. They can’t exist without others. Creativity must be designed into a daily process designed in your culture and complemented by ad hoc collaboration. We built a team with a real creative backbone and plugged it into designing the outcomes our clients expect.”
Short-term response or long-term shifts?
Some view the rise in last-minute demand as a response to current economic or cultural volatility, while others see it as reflecting a broader and permanent change in our work and communication. Turner believes that movement towards a compressed timeline is not merely a trend, but rather a systematic society. She explains: “When I first started in the industry, everything was locked and loaded to go to the field to serve events. Now, clients make changes two minutes before they go on stage. Life changes and you have to accept and change.
The scale states: “To maintain agile without burning out is to choose your battle wisely. Not every opportunity is worth challenging, and not every pitch fits perfectly. Short lead times are challenging – sometimes you win.
“Don’t be afraid to say no. It’s important to assess whether a client or project feels that a true partnership is important. If there’s no respect and joint energy there, it’s a red flag. You’re better off working with a partner who values your expertise and approach by setting boundaries, setting boundaries, being selective, and keeping your work, by keeping your work.”
This change speaks to a culture of immediacy driven by digital transformation, on-demand content and expectations of real-time responsiveness. For agents, it’s not just about being reactive. This means you are ready to operate in this new rhythm. In this rhythm, agility and adaptability are just as important as creativity and execution.
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