South Africa, Sept. 9 -- I'll share, over this series, where I believe media agencies are (or could be) thriving, where they're stuck, and how I think they can reclaim their rightful place as a strategic pillar in communication planning.

I always find the best place to start is with what's working. And let's be honest, there is a lot that is working. when it's actually working.

Media agencies hold the deepest, rarest skill sets in the ecosystem. They offer true integration - the place where legacy meets digital, where eyeballs still equal impact. They're often one of the few in the room who know how the whole machine fits together. They understand audiences in ways algorithms still don't and it's a skill that blends data fluency and hum...