WFA, the World Federation of Advertisers, recently,  has revealed that global brands are  redefining  content production strategies amid rising complexity and demand.

The new international study revealed that the world’s leading brands are actively transforming the way they create and manage marketing content in response to evolving business challenges, changing technologies, and rising production demands.

WFA,  in collaboration with its strategic production partner Claire Randall Consulting, produced the report titled Global Content Production 2025.

The report provided a comprehensive look at how global companies have adapted their production approaches since the previous study appeared in 2021.

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The report indicated that brands face intense pressure to produce a higher volume of content at faster speeds and with limited resources.

It points out that streamlined workflows and appropriate technological support can play a critical role in helping brands meet these demands.

The report also highlighted the need for organizations to actively manage change internally, as cultural resistance and operational inertia continue to present major obstacles.

According to the findings, most multinational advertisers are abandoning rigid production frameworks in favor of flexible, multi-model systems that blend internal resources with external support.

WFA also observed that companies are now tailoring these hybrid strategies to suit different markets and content categories, which suggests a shift toward more adaptive and scalable operations.

The research showed that around sixty-six percent of participating companies have restructured their agency relationships within the last four years.

A notable trend has emerged where companies increasingly rely on external production partners who work directly within their offices. This setup has become more prevalent, particularly as businesses seek improved oversight, consistent asset delivery, and stronger return on investment.

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Companies have also visibly moved toward centralized content control. Budget constraints and the growing complexity of production pipelines motivate organizations to consolidate decision-making and execution.

This approach allows them to achieve greater efficiency and standardization across regions and platforms.

While large agency networks continue to expand their involvement in production work, smaller independent agencies are experiencing a reduction in their share.

Brands are replacing the preference for fully owned, in-house production models with outsourced teams embedded within client environments. Organizations are steadily adopting offshore services, especially in areas such as language adaptation and localization, although usage remains relatively limited.

Internal dynamics have emerged as one of the most significant factors influencing production changes.

Many organizations face challenges related to employee reluctance or structural limitations that hinder transformation.

These issues continue to slow progress, even as many advertisers acknowledge the need to evolve.

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Meanwhile, the appeal of separating production functions from creative agencies appears to be fading.

However, one-third of surveyed companies now work directly with digital platforms, which suggests a trend toward tighter platform partnerships.

Despite slight improvement, transparency remains an area of concern, particularly regarding procurement processes.

Some respondents indicated uncertainty about whether third-party oversight occurs when competitive bidding takes place.

Financially, companies have not yet returned production spending to levels seen before the global pandemic.

On average, they now allocate nineteen percent of their marketing budgets to production, compared to twenty-four percent prior to the pandemic.

The data came from fifty global brands across more than ten industries, with nearly half of respondents occupying senior strategic roles in marketing procurement.

Speaking on the findings, Laura Forcetti, Director of Marketing Services for Asia Pacific and Global Sourcing at WFA, observed that many brands remain in a state of ongoing transition.

WFA noted that although companies actively experiment with new models, they continue to express a mixed sense of satisfaction with current solutions.

She also emphasised the importance of adapting to technological innovation, especially as artificial intelligence begins to reshape production workflows.

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Brands have just begun to explore the potential of generative AI, especially in areas such as visual mockups, translation, adaptation, and multimedia editing. Legal considerations and compliance remain primary barriers to adoption, despite growing interest. Usage of AI for translation has already reached thirty-four percent, with an additional twenty-three percent planning to integrate it soon.

One of the most pronounced shifts involves the increase in content production for social media.

Nearly two-thirds of surveyed companies plan to expand their output for digital platforms, reflecting a departure from more traditional advertising formats.

Agency teams operating on-site within brand environments now create much of this content.

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