The media market is at another turning point. New technologies, efficiency pressure, and shifts in consumer behavior are forcing agencies to rethink their operations. A key question moves to the forefront: what matters more—standardization or personalization? In 2025 there’s no single answer. To stay relevant, you have to combine both so you preserve flexibility while scaling results. This column explores how to find—and keep—that balance on a fast-moving market.

Why balancing standardization and personalization is critical to survival

Every year brings a new wave of change in marketing, and 2025 is no exception. Agency planning must match new realities: rising competition, channel fragmentation, rapid AI development, and clients’ high expectations for outcomes.

In such turbulence, merely following trends isn’t enough—you must embed them into day-to-day work. That’s why it’s vital to pair standardized processes with agile, personalized solutions.

Standardization structures team workflows, reduces errors, and shortens media-plan prep time. Personalization—rooted in business understanding, audience insights, and tailored solutions—drives campaign effectiveness.

How AI enables both rigor and agility

Technology is a primary driver of change. According to Statista, the global market for generative AI in marketing is growing at a record 73.3% annually; by 2024 the AI agent market exceeded $4.92B.

These tools help collect, structure, and analyze large data sets, opening new horizons for personalized communications. With AI we can generate dynamic creative, automate buying, power recommendation systems, and rapidly test and scale hypotheses.

At our agency, we actively use AI and programmatic in media planning to raise efficiency and adapt in real time to shifts in consumer behavior.

Standardization isn’t about templates—it’s about systemization

In communications, standardization is not rigid one-size-fits-all plans. It’s a clear, transparent system that lets teams work faster, more cohesively, and with less risk.

In my practice, standardized templates and networked approaches cut campaign prep time by 30–40% and errors by 25–35%. We operate on unified planning/reporting platforms and automated dashboards so clients see results in real time and respond quickly.

Crucially, we always start with a joint strategic session: define goals, audiences, metrics, and where customization is needed. That’s how we decide what to standardize—and where to leave room for creativity.

Personalization should create value—not just “wow”

No campaign should be “universal.” Consumers expect relevant dialogue, not just messages. Today the customer journey spans dozens of touchpoints—social, search, video, offline events. A single narrative across them is essential.

Omnichannel is table stakes. Standards align interaction scenarios; personalization makes the experience truly individual. That’s how we lift engagement, trust, and ultimately conversions.

But over-customizing without structure creates chaos. The key is testing: continually validate hypotheses, tune messages by audience, and vary approaches across the funnel. Flexibility within a system is what makes strategies truly work.

Systems thinking as a competitive edge

What the market demands of strategists today isn’t just tool skills—it’s systems thinking. Understand channels and the client’s business logic. Work with data and make decisions from it. Track trends but prioritize long-term value.

I’m convinced the winning formula is the fusion of creativity and structure, technology and human insight. Build the right framework—standardized, flexible, transparent—and it enables stories that perform.

Conclusion: Efficiency is born from balance

Marketing is no longer black-and-white. Standardization isn’t bureaucracy; it’s efficiency. Personalization isn’t creativity for its own sake; it’s value creation. Their combination shapes a future-proof strategy for agencies.

My approach is a constant search for balance between technological precision and human communication, between process and creativity. That’s how you stay a step ahead—focused on real client needs and outcomes.