Zepto’s Jarvis move sparks the in-sourcing vs outsourcing debate

Zepto, the quick-commerce startup that disrupted the market with its 10-minute deliveries, has now set its sights disrupting the creative industry. It has launched its own in-house advertising agency, Jarvis, to boost the visibility and sales of brands on its platform. This gives the brand greater creative control into its own hands.

The move has sent ripples through the advertising world, with many mulling about the likely implications that could extend far beyond Zepto.

Is this a one-off experiment by a category-leading player or could it signal the beginning of a larger shift, threatening the dominance of traditional advertising agencies? While in-house teams offer the advantages of agility and direct control, agencies bring years of expertise, a fresh perspective, and strategies that in-house teams may struggle to replicate.

Zepto’s foray raises pressing questions about the evolving dynamic between brands and agencies. More importantly, how will traditional agencies adapt to stay relevant? Campaign spoke to industry experts to get their reactions to this latest development and how agencies can stay relevant.

Neena Dasgupta, CEO and founder, The Salt Inc:

While in-house teams effectively handle day-to-day tasks, they often struggle with maintaining objectivity and injecting fresh, creative perspectives into their campaigns. This is where the external agency adds value by providing a vital outsider’s viewpoint. It enables the creation of content that most audiences can relate to.

Instead of seeing this trend as a risk, we focus on positioning ourselves as valuable partners to in-house teams by offering specialised expertise, such as storytelling, audience engagement, and creative design. This might not be readily available internally. This well-balanced efficiency combined with external creativity ensures that the message does not go in vain but becomes impactful and memorable.

Simply speaking, the success story revolves around the complementarity between in-house and external agencies, where we can continuously add value through fresh ideas, innovative campaigns, and a deep understanding of audience behaviour.

Sectors like e-commerce and B2C are well-suited for in-house models, especially given the fast-paced nature of their operations. However, connecting with consumers in these industries requires more than quick execution—it requires an understanding of consumer behaviour. Agencies bring a unique edge by combining strategic thinking, innovative design, and storytelling expertise to build campaigns that leave a lasting impact.

While in-house teams may indeed want to work efficiently, external agencies can focus on creating bold campaigns that tap into cultural insights and resonate deeply with audiences.
Ultimately, measurement of achievable output and ROI through their campaigns will continue to prove an agency's worth to its customers.

Chaaya Baradhwaaj, founder and managing director, BC Web Wise:

The rise of in-house agencies, like Zepto’s recent move, reflects industry evolution, not a threat. Brands may initially seek agility and cost savings, but they often turn to agencies for specialised expertise and innovation. At BC Web Wise, we focus on being indispensable partners, by offering strategic insights and creativity.

While in-house teams manage execution, agencies bring objectivity and fresh perspectives. For sectors like e-commerce and B2C, we remain competitive by delivering capabilities like AR filters, AI-driven insights, and integrated strategies—the solutions hard to replicate internally. Our role evolves with the industry, positioning us as partners who adapt and scale with client needs.

To stay relevant, agencies must go beyond service delivery, becoming innovation leaders who deliver measurable impact. By combining creativity, technology, and strategic expertise, we continue to surprise, delight, and prove our irreplaceable value to clients.

Rajnish Rawat, co-founder, Social Pill:

Zepto’s Jarvis move reflects a shift in priorities but is not entirely new, and it does not spell doom for agencies. Instead, it challenges them to redefine their role in the ecosystem. The question is not whether in-house teams can deliver—it is whether they can consistently deliver work that stands out in an increasingly competitive marketplace.

In-house teams may excel at speed and efficiency, but they often lack the cross-industry expertise and creative perspective that agencies bring. The best solutions come from a blend of insider knowledge and out-of-box thinking. This is particularly relevant in sectors like e-commerce and B2C, where agility is important, but so is crafting impactful campaigns that resonate across diverse audiences.

To remain competitive, agencies must lean into their strengths: providing strategic direction, creative ingenuity, and fresh perspectives. By positioning themselves as partners rather than service providers, agencies can complement in-house efforts and help brands achieve goals they could not accomplish alone. Ultimately, the value agencies bring lies in their ability to innovate, deliver results, and adapt to the ever-changing advertising landscape.

At the end of the day, agencies are the spark plugs that keep the brand engine running smoothly.

Abhishek Tiwari, global business head, NetSetGo Media:

Despite the rise of in-house agencies, traditional agencies bring expertise in concepts, strategy, and creativity. Agencies stay relevant by being adaptable, offering tailored solutions, and emphasising the value of independent perspectives while delivering high-quality, brand-aligned campaigns.
Clients in the e-commerce and B2C industries have been steadily turning to in-sourcing considering the cost and speed benefits. Hence, agencies need to change and not only provide a creative concept but a concept with a sense of local market and geared towards digital audience. This, together with research and creativity, can prevent agencies from becoming obsolete.

Ad agencies can retain business by leveraging their core strengths—imagination, cross-platform expertise, and creative depth. Demonstrating RoI through data and performance tracking is vital. To stay relevant and valuable in the evolving market, agencies should also focus on building strong client relationships and providing unique solutions that exceed in-house capabilities.

Ravikant Banka, founder and managing director, Eggfirst:

While this trend presents both opportunities and challenges, it does not pose an immediate threat. In-house agencies offer advantages such as greater control, faster execution, and lower costs, but they also have limitations. Creative agencies bring fresh perspectives, in-depth knowledge, domain expertise, and the ability to think beyond the daily operations of a business. They can explore diverse industries and cultures that internal teams might miss.

Sectors like e-commerce and B2C are ripe for adopting advertising strategies as they prioritise agility, and direct data access. E-commerce brands need quick campaign iterations, and B2C brands value cost efficiency and control.

While in-house teams excel at efficiency, they often lack the fresh perspective and creativity we bring. Our focus will be on crafting brand narratives that connect emotionally with audiences, creating deep connections that transcend transactional interactions.

Ad agencies can avoid losing business to in-house teams by emphasising their irreplaceable strengths—creativity, strategic insights, and a broad market understanding. While in-house teams know a brand’s voice, they often lack the external perspective and innovation that agencies provide.

A collaborative model, positioning agencies as strategic partners, allows brands to maintain control while benefiting from external expertise. Agencies can also differentiate by offering specialised services like advanced analytics, digital transformation, and cross-channel strategies, which in-house teams may not have.

While in-house teams access granular data, agencies offer an unbiased, objective analysis to refine strategies and optimise ROI. Ultimately, agencies must align their services with a brand’s broader goals, focusing on strategic vision to remain competitive.