Reports & Guides

Survey: 2023 benchmark report for offshore creative production

Click here to take part in the survey

As global media partners, Marketing Procurement iQ, recognises the unique value that the TKM/We Are Amnet 2023 report for offshore creative production will provide – as the only survey available into offshore creative production. 

The 2023 benchmark report, the fourth successive year that the survey has been conducted, offers fresh insight into the state of the industry published by TKM, developed in partnership with We Are Amnet, pioneers in global offshore creative production and the leader in what the company has described as Smartshoring – a progressive hybrid model of offshore creative production hubs and in-country client services teams that deliver commercial value, flexible resource and quality. 

Participate in the 2023 Survey

We really value your opinion and would appreciate it if you took 5 minutes to complete the 2023 Benchmark Report for Offshore Creative Production survey.

The insight you provide will shine a light on how brands, in-house teams and agencies are engaging with the world of offshore production as we enter 2023.

https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/7F25F56

All participants will receive a complimentary copy of the report, in advance of its general release. No specific details will be asked and the information you provide will remain anonymous.

Following the excellent response to the 2021 and 2022 reports, this year’s report has been broadened to now feature interviews from industry representatives, digging deeper into the impact of current trends and challenges on offshoring and the relationship between agencies, in-house agencies, brands and offshore studios.

Why the need for the 2023 report

As brands evaluate their production models with in-house teams, external agencies and offshore partners all providing a variety of services to manage the significant uplift in digital, mobile, social and web (D2C) based content, the need for fresh industry data becomes apparent to: 

• Establish how the offshore market is developing in terms of maturity, location and service 
• Determine the primary business drivers for an offshore partnership 
• Identify success factors when selecting an offshore partner and developing the relationship 
• Classify commercial savings by service-line
• Define the technology must haves as we look to the future 

Key findings from the 2022 report 

A combination of unpredictable market forces, radically changing consumer behaviour, a growing demand for sustainable practices and a global economy built on borderless talent, has driven companies to find new ways to survive, grow and flourish, the report states.

For agencies, creating content at scale for brands and advertisers around the world, whether they be in-house, independent production studios or larger networks, the study reveals that they need to invest in offshore partners has never been more relevant or necessary. 

With average cost savings of 42% across all omni-channel services, coupled with flexible, scalable resource solutions that help address the “great resignation” in the US and talent shortages across UK and Europe, the search for offshore partners is on the rise. 

As brands search for the right make-up of production model and look to find the balance between in-house, offshore and outsourced production, 49% of agencies are already managing between 10% and 40% of their production offshore. 

As various offshore models began to emerge including Smartshoring®; a hybrid model of low-cost production hubs and in-country client services, India continued to dominate as the most widely utilised production hub, with quality of work the number one benchmark, against which offshore partners are assessed.

With regards to looking towards the future, the report questioned how the creative production industry will evolve. 

Ultimately, 2021 was challenging for many marketers as budgets were slashed, with revenue allocation to marketing almost cut in half, from an average of 11% in 2020 to 6% in 2021 (Forbes.com).

However, the significant shift in consumer behaviour to embrace digital content last year, opened up opportunities for many companies to build and accelerate their direct to consumer (D2C) strategies, forcing a greater reliance on performance marketing, motion graphics, short form video, social content and CGI. 

Companies sought to embrace more efficient, sustainable practices, often centered around simpler agency ecosystems and more technology enablement.

The survey is sponsored by We Are Amnet in partnership with TKM Consultants.