Decoding the EACA CMOs’ Expectations Report for Today’s Agencies

The European Association of Communications Agencies (EACA) and Kantar have released a wide‑ranging survey of chief marketing officers across Europe. It is the most thorough study to date of what senior marketers expect from their agency partners, drawing on responses from 141 companies in 22 markets and capturing insights from managers across industries, including consumer goods, banking, insurance, energy and technology.

According to the report, 94% of the marketers interviewed believe an agency can be a true partner they can trust. Yet this trust is undermined by a constant carousel of pitches and switching: nearly half of the respondents conducted a pitch in the past year, and 65 % changed agencies as a result. It is a paradox that goes to the heart of client–agency relationships in 2026, and it demands careful examination by both sides.

The Churn Problem: Why Long‑Term Partnerships Matter?

One of the most striking findings in the report is how routine repitching can erode the very trust that marketers say they want. Frequent agency changes make it difficult for teams to develop deep knowledge of a business and deliver consistent creative and strategic advice. The analysis of Effie Europe 2025 entries revealed that campaigns born of partnerships lasting five years or more are significantly more effective and successful than those with shorter tenures. Despite this evidence, marketers continue to shop around, often prompted by organisational changes or the belief that competitive pressure will yield better creative work.

Agency turnover has also become more common because client ecosystems are more complex than ever. Advertisers now work with an average of 4.7 different agency types. Managing multiple specialists introduces friction, increases handover points and pushes marketers to repitch pieces of work rather than build integrated partnerships. Under these conditions, agencies may feel trapped in a cycle of constantly proving themselves rather than investing in longer‑term strategic planning.

What CMOs Value: Trust and Business Intelligence

EACA’s research ranks the qualities that CMOs consider most persuasive when choosing or retaining an agency partner. Two attributes stand out clearly above the rest: trust (49 % first choice) and deep business involvement (41%). Creative excellence remains important: 72% of respondents place it among their top three factors, but creativity alone is no longer sufficient. Marketers want agencies that understand their business model, their industry and their customers, and that can integrate creative ideas into strategic roadmaps. Yet this level of business immersion takes time to develop and is repeatedly undermined by the pitch cycle.

Operational reliability is another key selection criterion. Thirty‑two percent of CMOs rank “delivering on time and in quality” as their top priority, and 39% put it in second place. In a world of shrinking timelines, the pressure on agencies to deliver flawless execution is rising even as the remit of their work expands. Agencies must therefore find ways to balance agile production with strategic depth.

Expanding Expectations: From Creativity to Consulting

EACA’s CEO, Charley Stoney, notes that the agency's remit is expanding and timelines are shrinking. Clients expect support across everything from brand strategy and campaign execution to data analytics, technology integration and cross‑channel orchestration. This expansion requires new remuneration models; Stoney argues that agencies should move away from pure time‑based billing towards more agile structures that reward value and permit investment in technology and artificial intelligence.

Many CMOs also feel their agencies underperform on proactivity, business immersion and forward‑looking strategic guidance. For agencies, this means a shift from being simply creative executors to acting as strategic architects who help shape brand trajectories and contribute to business decisions. Agencies that embrace this role can embed themselves more deeply in clients’ organisations, demonstrating their value beyond campaigns.

Six Capabilities for Future‑Ready Agencies

To move more clients from “satisfied” (45 %) to “very satisfied” (currently only 26%), the report identifies six areas where agencies must deliver simultaneously. These capabilities can serve as a roadmap for agencies planning their evolution over the coming decade:

1. AI‑native – Integrate automation, prediction and data intelligence into every layer of work. Artificial intelligence is the number‑one capability clients expect; 35% rate AI enhancement as a high priority, and another 41% give it 4 out of 5. This implies that agencies must invest in tools and talent that augment creativity with machine‑driven insights.
2. Strategic architects – Go beyond execution to help shape brand trajectories and contribute to broader business decisions. This involves understanding market dynamics, developing frameworks for growth and advising on product and customer strategy.
3. Operational excellence – Deliver work consistently, reliably and with disciplined governance. As noted above, on‑time, high‑quality delivery is a top selection factor, so agencies need robust processes and project management.
4. Creatively transformative – Blend human imagination with technology‑driven formats. Half of the respondents see agencies as “creators” and 21% as “explorers”. The challenge is to translate that creative energy into formats that resonate across traditional and digital channels.
5. Embedded collaborators – Function as extensions of the client team, proactively learning the brand and market. Many clients feel their agencies could be more immersed in their business, suggesting that better onboarding and continuous knowledge sharing are essential.
6. Cultural intelligence – Decode audiences, markets and societal signals. Breakthrough work based on genuine insights is highly valued; 31% of respondents rank this as their top desired output, 33% as their second, and 36% as their third. Agencies must therefore invest in research and cultural analysis to stay ahead of shifting consumer moods.

Implications for Agencies and Clients

The report’s conclusions resonate strongly with how Rattlesnake Group approaches client partnerships. Trust and business immersion are not short-term deliverables; they are cumulative assets built through continuity, proximity to decision-making, and a deep understanding of commercial realities. As agency remits expand, the response cannot be superficial. Becoming genuinely AI-native, strengthening advisory and consulting capability, and putting disciplined operational frameworks in place are now baseline requirements, not differentiators. Creative ambition still matters, but only when it is grounded in feasibility, strategic intent and measurable business outcomes.

The findings also place responsibility firmly on the client side. Frequent pitching may be framed as a safeguard for value, yet the data suggests it often limits the depth and effectiveness of agency contribution. Longer-term relationships enable institutional memory, clearer accountability and more meaningful performance metrics. They also create the conditions for agencies to challenge assumptions rather than simply execute briefs.

Crucially, clients must reassess whether their remuneration models reflect the scope of what they now expect. More flexible, value-based approaches would allow agencies to invest properly in technology, data infrastructure and senior talent, investments that ultimately benefit both sides of the partnership.

Conclusion

The EACA CMOs’ Expectations Report illustrates a contradiction at the heart of today’s marketing industry: marketers crave trust and strategic partnership, yet their habits of constant pitching and switching prevent those qualities from taking root. It also highlights the widening remit agencies must fulfil, from AI‑driven insights and operational excellence to strategic consulting and cultural analysis.

For agencies, the path to success lies in embracing these demands and demonstrating value beyond creativity. For clients, it lies in recognising that enduring partnerships often yield the most effective communication and in creating the conditions, structural, financial and cultural, where those partnerships can thrive.

Source: This article is based on insights from the EACA CMOs’ Expectations Report 2026, published by the European Association of Communications Agencies (EACA) in partnership with Kantar.