Agents of change: The new models reshaping UK production

As more external reps enter the market, they are reshaping not only how talent is represented but also how agencies access and connect with production partners. 

These resources aren’t entirely new to the UK – some have operated since as early as 2016 – but a decade on, the market feels at an inflection point. The long-established US rep model is now gaining real traction elsewhere. Why now?

What was once peripheral now feels structural. And agencies are noticing.

I first encountered external reps early in my career during weekly sales calls with our [PRETTYBIRD's] US parent company: big personalities, rapid-fire pipeline updates, and talent availability meticulously tracked. What struck me most wasn’t the scale but the system.

These reps weren’t tied to a single production company. Scripts moved fluidly through their rosters: who’s right for this, who’s available, who’s hungry. It created a brief economy sustained by volume, flexibility, and choice.

Above: Drop In, directed by The Sacred Egg through Riff Raff, which is now repped by MAMMAMIA.

Over more than a decade in the industry, I’ve watched the UK market shift through Covid, Brexit, and political instability. The organic collisions of office and social life disappeared almost overnight, making it harder to meet new collaborators in the wild.

I adapted. New business became less about late nights and loud rooms, and more about trust, education, and intention. The industry seems to have matured – it’s more expansive but also more no-nonsense. What was once peripheral now feels structural, and agencies are noticing.

The very best reps know as much about your business and creative tastes as you do.

Richard Adkins, Head of Production at Wieden+Kennedy UK, points to time, relevance, and focus as key drivers: “I love my production company relationships and would never wish to lose contact with those trusted partners. On a really practical level though, as a producer trying to curate a list of talent that’s varied and diverse yet high quality, going out to fewer individual production companies and getting more relevant reels from fewer people is a real time-saver.”

“There’s something refreshing about an independent rep being able to give you really focused options because they represent a suite of production companies,” he adds.

Having worked inside multiple production companies as both Head of New Business and EP, I know the importance of insight over pure sales.

Having these ‘taste-makers’ work across multiple rosters allows for more nuanced solutions, as they aren’t fixed to one party.

James Brook-Patridge, Head of Production at Hogarth Worldwide, echoes this shift: “We’ve seen a rise in reps who sit across more than one production company. Having these ‘taste-makers’ work across multiple rosters allows for more nuanced solutions, as they aren’t fixed to one party. The very best reps know as much about your business and creative tastes as you do – often pre-empting your needs. Ultimately, creatives and producers want access to the best talent, and reps are critical to that visibility.”

Working with Business/Club, Love Song, and Riff Raff, the MAMMAMIA model gives agencies freedom of movement on a brief while providing production with a trusted source of multiple suitable candidates without bias or diluted competition.

Tom Berendsen, Managing Director of Business/Club, puts it simply: “We’re all time-poor, and as the industry evolves, it requires us to be ever more inventive. I’ve experienced how efficient this system can be in the US, where access to a wide range of scripts benefits everyone.”

Above: Beats The Master of Speed and Stability, directed by Daniel Wolfe through Love Song another MAMMAMIA partner.  

From the US perspective, the advantages have long been clear. Rowley Samuel, who moved from ad agency to agent when relocating to America in 2006, reflects a similar view: “The in-person relationships with reps gave me direct access to the absolute best talent for the job. It’s still the fastest and smartest way for brands and agencies to cut through the noise.”

Alongside the rise of independent agencies and in-house brand teams, it’s increasingly clear that no single model can serve every brief, budget, or workflow.

Julie Margilaj, Co-Founder of Champion Represents, adds: “The strength of an external rep team is that it becomes an accessible, trusted resource for producers across a wide range of needs. If they need animation — check. Comedy — check. Post — check. And so on.”

The UK is home to over 258 IPA member advertising agencies and around 350 Advertising Production Association members. The growth of independent production rep companies reflects a broader diversification across the industry. Alongside the rise of independent agencies and in-house brand teams, it’s increasingly clear that no single model can serve every brief, budget, or workflow.