Show Notes
Sam Buchanan probably has one of the clearest views of what’s happening inside Australia’s independent media agency sector right now.
As CEO of the IMAA, he’s across more than 175 indie agencies, which means he’s seeing first hand what consumers and businesses want from marketing right now in 2026.
In this episode, I’m sitting down with Sam to get an honest read on where the market is heading and what the best agencies are doing right.
Key moments:
0:00 - Where Australian media is sitting right now, and why agencies are dealing with more change, fragmentation and uncertainty than ever
2:40 - How indie agencies went from being the “wild card” in a pitch to winning most of them
5:46 - Why 2026 could be the year indie agencies stop being the alternative option
10:39 - Why the indie agency network is working so well right now (and will it continue to?)
12:36 - How the IMAA actually manages competition between members when everyone knows everyone and the market is so small
14:27 - What CMOs need to understand when they pick the cheapest agency in a pitch
16:09 - What the strongest indie agencies have in common, from how they hire to how they use tech
22:20 - What happens when brands start taking more media in-house, and where agencies still have a role to play
26:08 - What the IMAA census is showing about where indie agencies are investing, and the channels getting the most attention right now
29:27 - Sam’s predictions for what’s going to happen to indie agencies in the next 5 years
30:00 - Why the industry needs to rethink how young people get trained when AI is taking over the old junior work
32:28 - What media partnerships look like when more buying becomes automated
If you want to get in touch with Sam, you can find him on Linkedin here, or visit IMAA www.theimaa.com.au
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