In-house PR vs agency: what is right for your stage of growth

At some point, most brands face the same decision.

Do we build PR capability internally, or partner with an agency?

On the surface, it can feel like a question of cost or control. In practice, it is a question of stage, speed and what your business actually needs to move forward.

In the Australian and New Zealand market, where media is concentrated and relationships matter, the answer is rarely fixed. It shifts as your business grows.

At Adhesive, we work with brands at different stages of that journey. We find the story, help you earn it and make it stick. The question is not which model is better, but which one is right for where you are now.

Early stage: building clarity and momentum

For early-stage brands, the challenge is rarely resourcing. It is clarity.

What is the story? Why does it matter? How does it fit within the category you are entering?

At this stage, an agency often brings immediate value. You gain access to experienced thinking, established media relationships and the ability to move quickly without building capability from scratch.

This is particularly important when timing matters. Launches, funding announcements or market entry moments benefit from having a team that can shape and place the story with precision.

An in-house hire at this stage can work well when there is already a clear narrative and a consistent flow of activity. Without that, the role can become reactive rather than strategic.

Growth stage: balancing control and capability

As brands move into a growth phase, the question becomes more nuanced.

There is often more activity, more stakeholders and a greater need for alignment across marketing, product and commercial teams. This is where some brands begin to consider bringing PR in-house.

An internal lead can provide proximity. They understand the business deeply, can respond quickly to internal priorities and help integrate PR with broader marketing efforts.

At the same time, agencies continue to play a role. They bring external perspective, senior strategic input and the ability to execute at pace.

For many brands, this becomes a hybrid model. An in-house lead sets direction and ensures alignment. An agency supports with strategy, media engagement and execution.

The effectiveness of this model depends on how clearly roles are defined. Without that clarity, work can overlap or lose focus.

Scaling stage: depth, consistency and authority

For more established or scaling businesses, PR shifts from activity into position.

The focus moves towards building authority, shaping category conversations and maintaining consistency across markets and channels.

At this stage, in-house teams often expand. There is a need for ongoing content, internal alignment and proactive storytelling that supports multiple business functions.

Agencies, however, remain valuable. They provide reach, relationships and the ability to maintain momentum externally. They also offer a level of objectivity that can be difficult to replicate internally.

This is particularly important in the ANZ media landscape, where relevance and timing are critical. An external partner can challenge thinking, identify opportunities and ensure the brand continues to cut through.

How to decide what is right

The decision is less about structure and more about what your business needs.

If you need speed, access and immediate strategic input, an agency is often the most effective starting point.

If you need internal alignment, ongoing integration and day-to-day ownership, building in-house capability becomes more relevant.

If you need both, a hybrid approach can work well, provided roles are clearly defined and aligned.

What often gets overlooked

One of the most common challenges is assuming PR is purely execution.

In reality, the value sits in judgement. Knowing which stories to pursue, how to position them and where they should live.

This is where experience matters. Whether in-house or agency, the strength of the outcome is shaped by the quality of thinking behind it.

It is also important to consider continuity. PR builds over time. Frequent changes in ownership, whether internal or external, can slow momentum and dilute impact.

The role of PR in 2026

The context for this decision has also evolved.

PR now plays a role beyond media coverage. It influences how brands are discovered, how they are referenced in search and how they are understood in AI-driven environments.

Consistent, credible storytelling contributes to authority across both human and digital audiences. This makes continuity and quality even more important.

A decision that evolves

There is no single right answer.

What works at one stage may not work at the next. The most effective brands revisit this decision as they grow, adjusting their model to match their needs.

At Adhesive, we partner with brands across each stage. Sometimes as a primary PR function, sometimes alongside in-house teams.

The constant is the approach. Find the story. Earn it. Make it stick.

Because regardless of structure, that is what drives impact.

Learn more about Adhesive, our award-winning work and the team behind the narratives at www.adhesivepr.com.au