Good in-house agencies keep pace with the demands of the business, proposing solutions and producing materials that support the brand and the bottom line. Great in-house agencies get ahead of the curve—capitalizing on what is while anticipating what’s next. In doing so, they not only fortify their company, they future proof the internal agency itself.

All of that proved true (and then some) during last week’s IHAF Conference & Awards, a.k.a. Future Proof, where we explored the strategies and skills in-house agencies need to be ready and resilient in the future. With over 300 in-house agency leaders and contributors engaging with speakers and each other, the event wrapped to rave reviews.

“I have been to a lot of conferences in my career, and this is one of the most useful and impactful ones that I have ever been to, kudos to you and your team.”

“I LOVED the conference this year and so did my team. They were so jazzed about all the sessions and had tons of takeaways.”

“This is one of my favorite conferences each year. Keep doing what you're doing!”

Not only did we enjoy compelling keynotes from Dropbox, Hallmark, Orvis and Coca-Cola, we explored the skills in-house agencies need to be ready and resilient in the future through a series of labs spanning assorted competencies.

Our conference concluded with an impressive student panel from Boston University’s Adlab, schooling us on what the next generation of talent expects from us as employers and what they have the capacity to contribute as they make their way into the workforce.

Of course, no IHAF conference would be complete without a little celebrating. And, celebrate we did—recognizing creative excellence with our In-House Creativity Awards and team performance with In-House Agency of the Year. Congratulations goes out to The Coca-Cola Company for winning Best of Show when it comes to creativity and The Clorox Company for being named this year’s top-performing team. 

As the IHAF team reviews and edits session recordings and compiles conference photos, we hope those of you who attended last week will keep your conversations going. The connections you made and community you built during our time together is precisely why IHAF was founded—to help you connect with one another, learn from one another, share with one another and grow together.

If you were unable to attend this year’s IHAF Conference & Awards, select sessions were recorded and will be available for members to enjoy in the coming weeks. We’ll be sure to alert you as soon as videos are posted so you can catch-up on what you missed and reap the benefits of your membership virtually.

Once again, thanks to all of our speakers, sponsors, judges and attendees. You are what makes IHAF the one-of-a-kind organization it is—a thriving community of like-minded peers, intent upon making in-house agencies soar!