In an industry where precision, planning and preparation have long reigned supreme, a new pace is taking hold. While large-scale events still benefit from lengthy lead times and strategic planning cycles, a parallel trend is emerging – one that values speed, spontaneity and seizing the moment. Driven by digital transformation, cultural trends and clients seeking to move at the pace of real-time communication, agencies are increasingly responding to briefs with tighter timelines and shifting expectations.
So, is this simply a side effect of today’s fast-moving world, or a deeper shift in how brands and businesses engage their audiences? We asked industry leaders to unpack what’s behind the acceleration and how they’re adapting to keep up.
Are lead times getting shorter – and why?
Mark Scales, head of client services at asembl.group, explains that whilst he thinks short lead times and tight deadlines have always been part and parcel of agency life and whilst large-scale, flagship events see predictable calendars, clients are becoming increasingly agile and creative in what they want to do. He says: “Clients are increasingly jumping on cultural moments or whatever is trending and freeing up last-minute budgets to seize timely opportunities. The more strategic events continue to be structured and carefully considered, but we are seeing more desire to act fast, jump on a trend and capture the zeitgeist.”
He explains that they find the more reactive or impromptu event types are the ones most impacted by quick-turn arounds and short timelines, adding that for things like field marketing activations or last minute offsites, they often find the briefs arrive half formed. He says: “Someone has had an idea or seen something, or there’s a budget to spend, but the details haven’t been fully thought through. They’re exciting but can also be a gamble. These kinds of projects can be sporadic, high-pressure and prone to change and many don’t make it past the concept phase, so it becomes more of a research opportunity.”
Catherine Turner, founder and CEO at CTL Communications explains that she sees digitisation as a big enabler of always-on, real time communications. She says: “That big shift coincides with several years of volatile macros and clients that have big agendas and change programs and often initiative overload. So short leadtimes are here to stay and we relish the challenge.” She also explains that, in her experience, smaller meetings and events, especially virtual meetings, are affected more by shrinking timelines, whilst larger conferences are typically booked in well ahead.
How agencies are evolving to handle faster turnarounds
In response, asembl has sharpened the way that they approach every brief, built deeper, more strategic client relationships, ensuring that they operate like a true partner that understands their clients planning cycles and can help shape their roadmap. Scales says: “First and foremost, we’ve strengthened our qualification process — we don’t just say yes to everything. We ask ourselves: Is this achievable? Is it the right investment of time and energy? What’s the likelihood of success? It’s about working smart, not just being busy for the sake of it. It’s ok to push back and say no sometimes.”
They have also become more precise with their outreach, using insights from previous years to align with clients’ historical activity and leaning on the assembl.group network, to help them move with more agility.
CTL Communications, focus on organisation and as an almost all in house team, they can plan capacity for the unexpected and design to be able to respond quickly. Turner says: “With reduced planning time there always needs to be a mindset shift. Condensed timelines can put added pressure and stress on team members. The better prepared we can be to know what lies ahead, the more prepared the team can be mentally”
She added: “We are clear with clients to keep them up to speed throughout the project. They know that there will be implications on shorter lead times, but we endeavour to manage expectations alongside accurate budgeting and forecasting.”
Managing quality, creativity and team wellbeing under pressure
With increasing speed comes the challenge of sustaining excellence and supporting teams under mounting pressure. Scales says: “Tighter timelines inevitably bring increased pressure — especially when teams are balancing their core responsibilities with last-minute, fast-turnaround lead times. We’re very conscious of the demands this can place on people and we’ve put several measures in place to support our team through these high-pressure moments.”
They operate with the “divide and conquer” mindset, with each project having a clear owner who coordinates efforts across the team, ensuring everyone knows what they’re responsible for. They also embrace flexibility. Scales says: “We know people have their day-to-day responsibilities and pitching or reactive projects are often added on top. So, during busy periods, we allow for flexibility in schedules and workloads, and we make a point of acknowledging the effort. When a team has gone above and beyond, we create space afterwards for them to decompress. It’s not sustainable to run at 100 miles an hour every day, and we’re careful to create balance where we can.”
They have also introduced internal workshops to upskill the team on fast-turnaround delivery, building confidence and capability to operate under pressure, as well as increasing their freelancer pool to bring in specialist skills. Scales says: “It allows us to scale quickly and maintain quality, no matter how compressed the timeline.”
Turner adds that strong line management is also critical to ensure that working hours are considered, alongside accurate forecasting and adding to them team at critical junctures during the project. She says: “Creativity and quality go hand-in-hand, I believe one cannot exist without the other. Creativity has to be designed into your culture and your day to day processes complimented by adhoc collaboration. We’ve built a team with real creative backbone and plugged it in to rigorous product delivery so we design the outcome clients expect.”
Short-term response or long-term shift?
While some may see the rise in last-minute requests as a response to current economic or cultural volatility, others believe it’s reflective of a broader, more permanent shift in how we work and communicate. Turner believes the move toward compressed timelines is not just a trend, it’s systemic of society. She explains: “When I first started in the industry, everything was locked and loaded when you left to go on-site to deliver the event. Now clients are still making changes two minutes before they are due to go on-stage. Life has changed, and we need to embrace and change with it.
Scales said: “Staying agile without burning out is all about choosing your battles wisely. Not every opportunity is worth chasing, and not every pitch is a perfect fit. Short lead times can be challenging — sometimes you win, sometimes you lose — but focusing on the projects that align with your agency’s strengths and values is crucial.”
He adds: “Don’t be afraid to say no. Assessing whether a client or project feels like a true partnership is important. If the respect and collaborative energy aren’t there, it’s a red flag. You’re better off working with partners who value your expertise and approach, rather than stretching yourself too thin on projects that aren’t the right fit. By setting boundaries and being selective, you can remain agile and maintain the quality of your work without burning out.”
This shift speaks to a culture of immediacy — driven by digital transformation, on-demand content, and the expectation of real-time responsiveness. For agencies, it’s not just about being reactive; it’s about being prepared to operate within this new rhythm, where agility and adaptability are just as critical as creativity and execution.
