What the Smartest Independent Agencies in the World Are Doing Differently Right Now

Insights from the IPREX EMEA Conference in Barcelona - Alexandra Mayhew, IPREX Executive Director

If AI can persuade people 64% of the time — more effectively than humans — how do communications agencies stay relevant?

That question framed the conversations at the IPREX EMEA Regional Conference 2025 in Barcelona, where twelve independent agency leaders from across Europe and beyond shared what’s actually working in their markets. From Lisbon to Manchester to Warsaw, one message came through clearly: agencies that thrive today don’t just communicate — they anticipate.

1. We’re No Longer Marketing to People Alone

AI has become the new gatekeeper of visibility. Luis Martín, Europe Director of AI Solutions at LLYC (Madrid), revealed how communicators now have to influence two audiences — the human brain and the machine brain. If content isn’t structured for AI models, up to 70 percent of a brand’s digital footprint may never be “seen.”
Agencies mastering this dual strategy — designing for both discoverability and persuasion — are already positioning their clients ahead of the next marketing revolution.

2. Creativity Starts with Commercial Clarity

Lucy Giles of MC2 (Manchester) showed how strategy fuels creativity. Her team helped manufacturer UAP refine its brand purpose, simplify messaging, and directly increase valuation ahead of a major transaction.
Her takeaway: in modern communications, commercial insight is the new creative spark.

3. Authenticity Outperforms Algorithms

Data can target audiences, but it can’t replicate humanity. Jakub Zajdel of More Communications (Warsaw) shared the story of footballer Robert Lewandowski’s spontaneous act of kindness toward a young fan with muscular atrophy — a moment that became a global headline with zero paid media. It reminded everyone that genuine emotion still travels faster and further than any algorithm.

4. Reinvention Is the Real Growth Strategy

After three decades at the helm of Lift Consulting (Lisbon), Salvador da Cunha offered an unfiltered look at what it takes to rebuild from success. When he restructured Lift World under one culture, one strategy, and one brand, the agency became half the size but twice as profitable.

His advice to agency founders: simplify. Complexity kills agility; clarity restores it.

5. Collaboration Beats Scale

The Yellow Hive case proved how cross-border cooperation drives commercial outcomes. Marianne De Bruijn of De Bruijn PR (Amsterdam) and Karsten Hoppe of TDUB Kommunikationsberatung (Hamburg) partnered with LLYC (Spain) and Finn Partners (Belgium) to launch a pan-European growth strategy for a Dutch financial group. Trust and shared standards — not hierarchy — delivered impact.

6. When There’s No Wind, Row

“If there is no tailwind, we catch the oars,” said Mania Xenou of Reliant Communications (Athens). Her reflection on resilience resonated with every leader in the room. In volatile markets, adaptability is strategy. The agencies winning right now are those that turn Plan B into forward motion.

7. Why Agency Leaders Run IPREX — and Why That Matters

During IPREX Inside, Ann-Marie O’Sullivan, Global President and Founder of AM O’Sullivan PR (Cork), and Alexandra Mayhew, Executive Director (Colorado), announced Jakub Zajdel as the new EMEA Regional President, succeeding Harri Kammonen of Manifesto (Finland).

Their session underscored a key differentiator: IPREX is led by active agency owners. Every regional president and committee chair runs a business in-market, ensuring the network’s initiatives align with real-world needs — from business development to talent retention and profitability.
As Ann-Marie noted, “Leading across borders sharpens strategy. It gives agency owners direct access to global insight they can bring home and turn into growth.”

8. People Still Power Everything

From the United States, Lindsey DeWitte, Chief Impact Officer at BarkleyOKRP (Kansas City), summed it up:

“We have nothing to sell if we don’t have the best people.”
Joined by Heidi Otway, Americas Regional President and President of SalterMitchell PR (Tallahassee), Lindsey reminded everyone that culture and purpose aren’t soft factors — they are the business model.

9. The IPREX Advantage: Growth Through Shared Intelligence

IPREX’s strength lies in its combination of resources and relationships — from the IPREX Academy and DEI toolkits to global collaboration frameworks and new-business pipelines. These programs are built to help independent communications and marketing agencies grow smarter, faster, and more sustainably.

The Takeaway: Connection Is the Competitive Edge

The insights from Barcelona point to a simple truth: independence is an advantage only when it’s connected.

As technology accelerates and markets shift, the agencies that win will be those that combine strategic intelligence, creative courage, and human connection. That’s the power of IPREX — a global community of agency leaders turning shared ideas into measurable impact.