Consultancies are eating agencies’ lunch, and they're not slowing down

Author: Shaune Jordaan

In South Africa, the shift isn’t subtle. It’s seismic. Thanks to its 2021 acquisition of King James Group, Accenture Song now owns some of the country’s most iconic brand relationships, including Sanlam, Pick n Pay, Santam, and Distel. They didn’t pitch for them. They acquired the creative firepower, plugged in their tech capabilities, and scaled fast. That’s not a creative agency move. That’s a transformation play.

Meanwhile, homegrown consultancies like IQbusiness and PlusOneX, now merging under the Reunert Group, are scooping up large-scale transformation projects across banking, telecom, retail, and even government. These aren’t ad campaigns. They’re full-stack solutions: data, cloud, software, UX, strategy. They’re building the machine, not just painting it.

Globally, the numbers are just as telling. Accenture Song is pulling in nearly 18 billion dollars in annual revenue, putting it on par with WPP, the largest agency group in the world. In South Africa, it's already the biggest player by revenue. IQbusiness and PlusOneX have combined to build a one billion rand business, with almost 1,500 specialists focused on integrated digital solutions. That’s serious mass, operating with consultancy precision.

Why is this happening? Because clients have evolved. They’re no longer only buying ideas. Seeing agencies lead with ‘we make the world’s best ideas’, which ultimately becomes a content brand piece for DStv and YouTube, is no longer cutting it. They’re buying outcomes. Not just a clever line or campaign platform, but a full digital ecosystem that works, adapts, and delivers. Consultancies understand this inherently. They start with strategy, build on deep tech integration, and wrap it in customer experience. It’s not sexy, but it’s effective. Agencies, by contrast, are often still unlearning the old rules.

To be fair, some agency groups have responded. Publicis has built serious data and tech chops through Epsilon and Sapient. WPP has restructured and rebranded, merging VMLY&R and Wunderman into a new digital-first creative entity. But they’re playing catch-up, and doing it while managing legacy systems, complex ownership structures, and creative egos.

While Hoorah may be a smaller consultancy player of 100 people, we have seen how consulting-led thinking can transform brands from within. We have seen this with Heineken, AbinBev, Nestle, Alexander Forbes, and others.

Consultancies aren’t immune to their challenges. Keeping creative talent in a corporate culture isn’t easy. But they’ve cracked the formula for modern client needs. They offer one brain, one brief, one build. No silos. No mystery. Just results.

Here’s the uncomfortable truth for traditional agencies: the game has changed. It’s no longer just about the big idea. It’s about owning the full value chain from insight to interface. And right now, consultancies aren’t just in the game; they’re redesigning the rules. Not sure Joe Public, or Ogilvy will agree, but the IT and accounting nerds are catching up.

The future of marketing isn’t built in brainstorming. It’s engineered in war rooms, and consultancies are the ones holding the blueprints.

Hoorah Group: https://hoorahgroup.com/
Hoorah.Media: https://hoorah.media/