Hoorah and Alexforbes partner to create in-house marketing agency, Junxion

The Junxion team. Source: Supplied.

Intersection

The agency, called Junxion (so named because it sits at the intersection of creativity and the Alexforbes business), allows Alexforbes to consolidate control of its marketing activities through a single point of entry. Previously, those activities were fragmented among a variety of agencies and freelancers.

The in-house agency operates on a hybrid model. Under this model, some staff are employed directly by Alexforbes and others are employed by Hoorah. The Hoorah team provides strategy, oversight, and management services to ensure the success of the internal agency.

“At Hoorah, we embrace new models of partnership,” says Hoorah Group COO Clyde Mallon. “We believe the in-house agency model is a fantastic way for brands to bring digital marketing capabilities in-house to transform their marketing approach.”

“For a company like Alexforbes, this comes with some significant benefits,” he adds. “By consolidating with a single partner, it can realise significant cost efficiencies and build scale internally. Our hybrid approach additionally allows it to have the benefits of an externally managed solution where we take ownership and accountability for the success of the studio, but the staff are still embedded in their organisation. The operating model is also built bespoke to Alexforbes, giving it a greater level of control, direct access to its data, and intimacy with the team.”

Commitment

For Colette van Dyk, head of group marketing at Alexforbes, the shift is designed to have a direct impact on Alexforbes’ clients.

“Our motivation for transitioning to an internal agency model was deeply rooted in our commitment to our clients,” she says. “We recognised the need for marketing initiatives that resonate with our audiences on a profound level, fostering meaningful brand engagement and driving loyalty.”

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“By establishing an internal agency, we aim to achieve just that. Having a dedicated team within our organisation allows us to craft campaigns that speak directly to our clients' needs, preferences, and aspirations,” she adds. “This direct connection enables us to deliver more impactful marketing initiatives that forge stronger relationships and drive lasting value.”

Van Dyk believes that the internal studio will also help solve some of the challenges Alexforbes previously faced when working with a fragmented group of agencies.

“While our previous engagements with external agencies yielded positive outcomes, there are obvious challenges inherent in the outsourced model,” she says. “The issue of cost in managing multiple agencies providing various services proved to be financially cumbersome. And resource orientation to and understanding of our business can be tricky to sustain within external agency teams where there is significant staff turnover.”

Dynamic hub

Looking forward, Van Dyk hopes that internal will help drive new levels of creativity at Alexforbes.

“Looking ahead, we envision our internal agency evolving into a dynamic hub of creativity and innovation, continuously adapting to the evolving needs of our audience and the industry landscape,” she says. “Our marketing approach will be characterised by agility, insights, and a relentless pursuit of excellence.”

Hoorah has previously built internal agencies for brands including Avon, Heineken Beverages, and Nestlé, which made them a natural fit for Alexforbes when taking the internal agency leap.

“Before engaging with Hoorah, I had some familiarity with the concept of an internal agency approach, primarily through industry discussions and insights,” says Van Dyk. “However, our direct engagement with Hoorah provided a deeper understanding of how such a model could be effectively implemented within our organisation.”

Junxion has been in place since January and fully staffed since March.