Resets Are a Good Thing, Trust Me

Not every agency relationship needs to end - but most will need a reset (or two, three or four). And that’s not a sign of failure. It’s a sign of growth.

Agency relationships are living things. Shaped by people, pressure, shifting priorities and pace. What worked a year ago might not work now - and what works now might not work in the next campaign. That’s why smart, timely resets can be the difference between quiet drift and outstanding results.

And the data backs it up. Various UK and US studies including ISBA cite the average UK client:agency relationship lasts about 3 - 4 years.  What % ended not because they must, but because no one spotted the drift soon enough - or knew how to intervene constructively? 

AAR EMOM’s research shows 68% of senior marketers believe their agency partnerships “lack the clarity and alignment needed for high performance.” But only 1 in 5 have taken steps to formally review or reset in the past year.

That’s a lot of tolerated frustration. But it doesn’t need to be.

So… what is a reset?

A reset isn’t about tearing it all up. It’s about creating space for honesty, clarity and course correction.

A good reset is a moment of constructive clarity, where both sides step back and ask:

• What's our shared ambition? 
• What’s working?
• What’s not - and why?
• What do we really need from each other now, next, and into the future?

And then they act on it. Together.

It’s not about blame. It’s about building something better - before things break.

Resets exist on a spectrum - from proactive to reactive

Not every reset needs to come with disruption. There’s a spectrum:

Proactive reset - a healthy, forward-looking reset where both sides are investing in the future.

“Let’s check in and get better together.”

A regular health check. Light-touch, insight-rich, future-facing.

Preventative reset -addressing issues before they really escalate, putting safeguards and clarity in place. 

“Something’s off, but it’s not broken.”

Friction is evident. Lots of questions that aren’t fully answered. Commercial questions. Ways of working questions. Technology questions. A reset diagnoses, diffuses and positively resets the rhythm

Progressive reset - driving collective performance better, evolving multiple partnerships, striving for better outcomes together.

“There is so much potential here but where do we focus?”

Opportunity to unlock more value. Relevant for multiple relationships. Focus on transformation and growth. Focusing on investment and strategic choices. A reset programme explores possibilities, delivers strategic clarity and sets a collective performance bar 

Pre-exit reset - the warning phase, where significant tensions suggest the partnership may not continue without change.

“Is this fixable or final?”

Last chance to course-correct before the pitch deck comes out. High-stakes - but often high-reward.

What do I actually do in a reset?

I work at the intersection of relationships, strategy and delivery - part detective, part architect, part editor… and increasingly part coach.

• Detective - I like to surface truths. The ones people sense but can’t always articulate. I listen carefully, read between the lines, and spot patterns in what’s said (and unsaid).
• Architect – I like to build. Not from scratch, but with intention - resetting relationships and ways of working to serve what’s needed now, next, and in future. It’s about designing with purpose, not just patching over pain points.
• Editor – I like to connect the dots. Not to control the story, but to bring focus on root causes, recurring blockers, hidden barriers. Often the problems are systemic, not personal. Editing helps us find the thread and follow it through.
• Coach – I like to support change. Sometimes that’s guiding teams through uncomfortable conversations. Sometimes it’s helping people hear one another in a new way. The human side of transformation matters as much as the operational side.

This blend lets me flex across all kinds of client:agency scenarios - from forensic reviews to light-touch recalibrations. What connects them is a desire to get to better, faster, easier (and of course good value)

And yes - all of this includes in-house agencies too. The dynamics might be different, but the need for clarity, alignment and momentum across the operating model - whatever the blend - is just the same.

Why bring in someone external?

Because it’s hard to see the system when you’re standing inside it. When resets are led internally - especially by someone embedded in the team - it’s easy to make assumptions., soften the edges, skip the hard bits, or accept things that really should be challenged. Even with the best intentions, proximity can blur clarity.

An objective, experienced partner brings fresh eyes and calm distance, without the baggage of past decisions or internal politics. Someone who does this day in, day out.  Someone who knows what good looks like across a variety of organisations, but doesn’t assume yours should look the same. Someone who can hold up a mirror, connect the dots, and help shape a way forward that feels grounded, not generic.

Handled well, an external reset doesn’t just improve relationships - it often re-energises them.

A simple framework to focus a reset

Every reset I lead is anchored in four dimensions that shape the health - and future - of a high performing client:agency partnership. The 4 A’s if you will:

1. Ambition
   Are we aligned on what we’re really trying to achieve, now and next? Clients gain clarity. Agencies regain direction.
2. Alignment
   Are the right people in place, and are they connected in the right ways? Clients benefit from stronger relationships. Agencies benefit from clearer roles and expectations.
3. Agility
   Are we working in a way that enables great work to happen—consistently and collaboratively? Clients get smoother delivery. Agencies get fewer frustrations.
4. Advancement
   Are we evolving together - learning, improving and growing over time? Clients avoid stagnation. Agencies stay sharp and valued.

Each dimension gives structure and consistency to the reset - whether it’s a pulse check or a deeper transformation.

Real-world scenarios

A few examples of what resets have made possible to bring alive the AAR experience:

• Creative is strong, but delivery is painful. A preventative reset reveals process misalignments and lightens the load.
• New product, new priorities - but there’s doubt about fresh thinking and innovation. A recovery reset gets both sides realigned on the new north star, and excited to push boundaries.
• Operating model shift - moving more in-house or onboarding new agency partners. A recalibration reset clarifies new roles, accountabilities and rhythms across internal and external teams - who does what, how we meet, and what we measure.
• New marketing leadership inherits a long-term agency but is inclined to bring their previous agency with them. A proactive reset avoids assumptions and sets fresh expectations.
• Agency on the brink of being pitched. A pre-exit reset rebuilds trust and repositions the partnership for future value.

Final thought (and a gentle nudge)

Agency relationships - considering external partners AND in-house teams - are just too important not to check in on.  

Resets aren’t a weakness. They’re a sign of professionalism, a signal of value and a commitment to do better.  Handled well, they don’t just salvage partnerships - they strengthen them.  Often not only addressing known issues - but re-energising for months and years to come. 

So if things feel a bit off - or you’re wondering whether “this is just how it is” - it might be time to press pause, zoom out and reset with purpose.

If you want to borrow my ears, my eyes, and a well-timed question, contact me on vgillan@aargroup.co.uk.  I’ll bring the detective coat. You set the scene.  Let’s make your next reset one that unlocks more than it unpicks.