Why Chase Broke the Agency Model and Did It Themselves
Leanne Fremar, Chief Brand Officer at JPMorgan Chase, led an in-house creative team to produce a full-scale, celebrity-driven Sapphire Reserve campaign starring Hailey Bieber. The work—complete with Times Square billboards and luxury visuals—demonstrated that high-profile, “above-the-line” projects no longer belong exclusively to agencies.
Key Lessons
In-House Is Rising: Chase’s internal team led the marquee work, proving brand creatives can now produce visible, career-defining campaigns.
Speed Wins: In-house control enabled faster production and closer connection to customers.
Range Matters: The team owned strategy, insights, and execution, giving creatives a broader skill set than typical agency roles.
Agencies Still Matter: Partners like Droga5 contributed craft and perspective, but the division of labor is evolving.
Career Implication: The path to high-impact creative work may now run through ambitious brand teams, not just top agencies.
Takeaway: The creative industry is shifting toward hybrid models where speed, agility, and brand closeness redefine who makes the most visible work.
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