WPP, one of the largest advertising holding companies in the world, saw its stock drop nearly 18% this month. The culprit? A growing number of clients are pulling campaigns in-house and leaning into platform-native AI tools instead of outsourcing to traditional ad agencies. And they’re doing it because the numbers make sense.
This isn’t a one-off event—it’s a sign of a broader shift in the B2B marketing ecosystem. More businesses are discovering that they can use tools like Meta Advantage+ or Google Performance Max to build, run, and optimize entire campaigns with little external help.
Why? Because AI handles what agencies used to charge for: targeting, copy variation, A/B testing, even dynamic creative optimization.
And unlike a traditional agency relationship, AI doesn’t take two weeks to “get back to you with a deck.” It runs 24/7, optimizing in real time and reporting instantly.
If you’re a B2B leader wondering why your campaigns are moving slower (and costing more) than expected—this might be your answer.
Let’s break this down with numbers.
Meta’s Advantage+ campaigns use AI to automatically optimize placements, copy, and targeting. Google’s Performance Max campaigns do the same across Search, Display, YouTube, and Gmail. These tools are replacing roles agencies used to fill—without the delays or overhead.
Instead of paying a team to write ad copy, generate reports, and adjust bids, companies can set up machine learning–powered campaigns and run them natively. And the platforms are incentivized to help you succeed because your success equals more ad spend.
What’s being cut isn’t the media budget—it’s the middleman. Businesses don’t want vague updates and vanity metrics. They want clicks that lead to pipeline.
This doesn’t mean every agency is doomed. But it does mean that the value conversation has shifted. If your agency isn’t delivering results you can trace back to revenue, it might not be worth the spend.
Smart B2B companies aren’t “cutting marketing.” They’re just shifting spend toward what works.
AI is helping companies scale outreach, speed up personalization, and reduce time-to-lead. Here’s what the new playbook looks like:
AI-powered cold calling: Use intelligent voice systems to follow up with verified leads and re-engage dormant CRM contacts.
Hyper-targeted digital display: Run account-based display campaigns aimed at ICPs with high purchase intent.
CRM-first strategy: Leads are integrated directly into your CRM, and nurturing starts immediately.
First-party data leverage: Email, LinkedIn, and retargeting campaigns are run from owned data—not rented lists.
This isn’t about replacing your marketing team. It’s about removing bottlenecks and letting your team focus on what matters: pipeline growth, not project management.
Marketing leaders today face two pressures: prove ROI, and move fast. Agencies rarely deliver both.
If your lead-to-sale timeline is six months or more, every dollar you spend on brand impressions without conversion data is a guess. Agencies still sell big ideas and long lead times. But internal teams want daily dashboards and click-to-call performance.
And that’s the shift.
Budgets aren’t shrinking—they’re being reallocated toward in-house tools and outcome-focused vendors. Decision-makers don’t want another PowerPoint deck. They want SQLs, booked meetings, and clear attribution.
The companies that adapt fastest—who embrace AI and build smart systems—aren’t just getting ahead. They’re spending less and closing more.
PMG360 helps businesses do what many agencies can't: reach the right buyers, at the right time, using data that actually converts.
We combine:
A 230M+ decision-maker database
AI-powered cold calling and outreach
First-party data targeting
High-performance display campaigns
CRM setup and email nurturing workflows
We’re not here to replace your team—we enhance it. If you’re ready to stop paying for vague reports and start getting measurable outcomes, PMG360 is built for that.