Humanising Digital: The Role of Video in Tomorrow’s Agency Model
Review of Dan Duffett’s talk at Agency Leadership Forum 2025
If there’s one thing important to keep coming back to as agency leaders, it’s this: brands don’t just want to be heard—they want to connect.
And in today’s hyper-digital, AI-saturated environment, video is the closest we get to a handshake at scale. It’s how we bridge the emotional gap between data and experience. It’s how we humanize digital.
This was the heart of Dan Duffett’s talk at the Agency Leadership Forum earlier this month. As Head of Client Strategy at TwentyThree, Dan made a clear and compelling case for why agencies must take the lead on integrating video not as content, but as a core strategic capability.
Why Video, Why Now?
Let’s be honest: video isn’t new. But what is new is the moment we’re in. And in Dan’s words post event, “The moment we’re in is one where there is a peculiar disconnect between video being truly democratised- films are being shot on iPhones and the cost of production is coming down, yet despite this, video isn’t as omnipresent in brand communication as it really should be. And this needs to change.” And further to Dan’s point, will most likely be changed by those leading the way.
We’ve never had such a pressing need to bring warmth, presence, and relatability into our digital ecosystems. While tech gets smarter, people crave something more human. Video delivers that—whether it’s a founder message, an onboarding sequence, or a 20-second product demo with a real face and a real voice.
What Duffett highlighted is that most organisations are just scratching the surface. Video is still being treated as a campaign asset- when it should be considered a strategic pillar. That’s where agencies come in.
The Strategic Shift
Agencies are uniquely positioned to lead this transformation. We’re already in the room for brand positioning, customer experience, and media planning. Video strategy is the natural extension of that.
It starts with helping clients define what role video plays in their ecosystem. Is it awareness? Conversion? Internal culture? All of the above? From there, we can guide them through the infrastructure choices—platforms, hosting, analytics—as well as the creative approach and the org design to support it.
What Dan also proposed, and what I agree with, is the creation of centralised video teams that cut across departments. Instead of marketing owning one stream and sales another, we should be encouraging clients to build unified video strategies that serve the whole organisation. It’s better for budgets, better for consistency, and much better for results.
Putting People at the Centre
One thing that stood out in Dan’s talk was the emphasis on video as a human connector. It’s not just about driving metrics (although it does that brilliantly). It’s about tone, trust, and presence. Gen Z gets this intuitively—they grew up on video. The rest of us are catching up. If agencies want to stay relevant, we have to meet that shift head-on.
More importantly, as agencies build or advise on video strategy, we have to be mindful of internal dynamics. People within client organisations often enjoy making videos. They’ve built processes, habits, and even pride around it. Centralising that function isn’t just a structural shift—it’s a cultural one. We need to lead that change with empathy.
A Call to Agencies
This is the moment to lead—not just because it is possible, but because if you as agencies don’t, someone else will. In-house teams are getting smarter and faster. Platforms like TwentyThree are equipping clients to do more themselves. If agencies want to remain strategic partners, not just service providers, this is an opportunity to step up.
And it starts with one question: How are we helping our clients humanise their digital world?
NOTE: Our partners at TwentyThree have created an open source agency resource pack that you can download here: https://www.twentythree.com/video-agency-model
If the answer includes a strong, scalable, and emotionally intelligent video strategy, we’re on the right path.
5 Tips for Agencies to Lead with Video
1. Integrate Video into Strategy, Not Just Campaigns
Treat video as a strategic capability from the outset—not simply a piece of content delivered at the end of a campaign. Whether it’s brand storytelling, performance marketing, or internal communications, video should underpin the broader strategy.
2. Align Video Across Departments
Many organisations still approach video in silos. Agencies are in a prime position to help clients streamline and align video efforts across teams—from marketing and sales to HR and product—reducing duplication and ensuring brand consistency.
3. Champion Human-Centric Storytelling
Video is most effective when it connects emotionally. Encourage clients to prioritise authenticity over perfection—featuring real people, voices, and tone. Especially in digital environments, that human element sets brands apart.
4. Guide Clients in Building the Right Tech Stack
Most clients aren’t equipped to scale video efficiently. Take the lead in auditing their platforms, integrations, and hosting solutions, helping them build the infrastructure for a video-first future. This positions the agency as a partner in systems, not just creative.
5. Foster a Culture of Everyday Video
The goal isn’t studio-level production at every turn—it’s embedding video into everyday communications. Help clients develop internal confidence and competence through toolkits, training sessions, and best-practice templates.
Dan Duffett
Dan Duffet is a strategic marketing leader with over 20 years of experience driving digital transformation and brand growth across Europe and the US. Having worked with global giants like Google, J&J, HSBC, and Rolex through roles at WPP, Dentsu, and fast-scaling startups, Dan blends data, creativity, and customer insight to deliver exceptional go-to-market strategies and brand experiences.
As Head of Client Strategy at video marketing platform TwentyThree, and former Executive Business Director at Merkle, Dan has led large international teams and high-value client portfolios. He also serves as a strategic advisor for Windō, a Gen Z-focused sustainability platform.
