Media Agency Transition – Navigating the Complexity

Transitioning to a new media agency involves strategic planning, clear roles, and proactive risk management. mediasense’s guide outlines key milestones and actionable tips to ensure a smooth, efficient handover with minimal disruption.

Key Takeaways: 

• Defined roles drive smoother transitions: Clear responsibilities ensure structure throughout the change.
• Risk management must be proactive: Anticipating challenges enables stronger mitigation strategies.
• Expert guidance shapes better outcomes: Practical support helps both outgoing and incoming agencies succeed.
• Careful orchestration reduces disruption: Well-managed workstreams and milestones protect organizational stability.

A media agency transition is far from a simple swap—it’s a strategic endeavor requiring careful navigation. MediaSense emphasises that understanding every stage—planning, onboarding, and alignment—is crucial to maintaining continuity and preserving performance throughout the change.Concerns intensified with Google’s 2023 rollout of Performance Max campaigns and scrutiny over search partners—where brand safety in AENs became a hot topic in industry media.

Crafted by subject-matter specialists, this guide serves advertisers and marketers by dissecting the transition process, clarifying roles, pinpointing risk areas, and offering real-world tips to avoid common missteps—all while minimising disruption.

By focusing on both outgoing and incoming agencies, the guide provides an objective vantage point that helps advertisers drive an effective, well-governed transition—making it indispensable reading for those aiming for a seamless handover.

Report Highlights: 

Key Roles & Responsibilities

• Clarifies who leads which part of the transition—from existing agency disengagement to new agency onboarding.
• Emphasises accountability and communication throughout the process.

Risk Mitigation Strategies 

• Provides tactics to anticipate challenges, such as data migration, campaign continuity, and stakeholder alignment.
• Encourages early identification and planning to avoid costly errors.

Practical Onboarding Tips 

• Focuses on ways to ensure a constructive relationship with the new agency from day one.
• Includes suggestions to manage expectations, align priorities, and maintain business as usual.

Objective & Efficient Transitioning 

• Offers an unbiased framework to manage both departing and arriving agencies.
• Helps advertisers streamline workflows, reduce confusion, and protect their organisation’s stability.

Report Authors: Jacqueline Franco, Lea Cecil