Are Young Creatives Changing The Industry? Insights and Bites with The One Club’s Yash Egami

 

“Young creatives now, they just do it all themselves,” says Yash Egami, COO of The One Club for Creativity, on the newest episode of Eat In or Dine Out. “They want to film it themselves, they want to write it, concept it, distribute it, act in it.” That’s a huge shift from the pass-the-baton model by which advertising has traditionally been made.

 

This episode is as filled with insights as a cannoli is full of ricotta. Among the other tidbits Yash shares with host Jennifer Harrington:

• How in-house agencies are growing increasingly sophisticated—and producing award-winning work.
• What the rise of the consumer-slash-creator means for both brands and agencies.
• The secret to winning a One Show Crystal Pencil (just kidding … we wish!).

 

Watch the episode, then let us know: Who makes the best cannolis in your city?

 

P.S. Don’t forget to follow HATCH on LinkedIn to catch upcoming episodes!

 

---

 

TRANSCRIPT 

 

Jen Harrington: Hi, I’m Jen Harrington, and this is Eat In or Dine Out — where we talk with industry leaders about the challenge of talent sourcing, whether from internal teams or external agencies. Normally, I’m in my kitchen. Today, we’re in a studio kitchen in New York City — and I wish my kitchen looked like this. I’m joined by a very special guest, Yash Egami, Chief Operating Officer of The One Club for Creativity, the global standard for excellence in advertising and design. And for those of us who’ve followed The One Club for years — we all want a Pencil.

 

Eat In or Dine Out?

Jen Harrington: Here’s how the show works. If you choose Eat In, we cook and talk about building in-house teams. If you choose Dine Out, we talk agencies and external partners. Yash, what’s your choice?

Yash Egami: Let’s do a little bit of both. I like to cook, but I also like takeout.

Jen Harrington: Perfect. These cannoli shells are from Boston, but we’re filling them here in New York — a hybrid approach, just like modern creative teams.

 

The Evolution of Agency Models

Jen Harrington: You’ve worked with agencies for a long time and seen the models evolve. What trends are you seeing around talent today?

Yash Egami: It’s a tight job market. In-house teams are scaling quickly, and we’re also seeing hybrid consulting models where creative talent integrates into brands without being full-time employees. Top creatives are moving fluidly between agency, in-house, and hybrid roles.

 

In-House vs. External Talent

Jen Harrington: Are you seeing a shift in where the best talent wants to be?

Yash Egami: It’s definitely both. In-house used to be viewed as the death of creativity, but that’s no longer true. Brands are building award-winning internal agencies. Look at Kraft Heinz’s The Kitchen or Liquid Death — the work speaks for itself.

 

Advice for Young Creative Talent

Jen Harrington: What advice would you give young creatives deciding between brand-side and agency-side?

Yash Egami: The traditional agency model is very siloed. Young creatives want to do everything — concept, write, film, distribute — sometimes even star in the work. That mindset challenges old structures, and that’s a good thing.

 

Entrepreneurship & the Creator Economy

Jen Harrington: Are young creatives starting their own agencies?

Yash Egami: Not as much as before. Startup costs are high, and clients are harder to land without a network. What we are seeing is younger talent building social-first and influencer-focused companies — where creators are the distribution. The power dynamic has flipped.

 

Diversity & The One Club’s Impact

Jen Harrington: Diversity has been central to The One Club’s work. Can you talk about that?

Yash Egami: About 15 years ago, we realized the industry had a serious diversity problem. That led to Where Are All the Black People?, a career fair connecting diverse talent with top agencies. Instead of just talking about the issue, we decided to act — and we’ve seen countless success stories since.

 

Shameless Plug 

Jen Harrington: Before we wrap, I have to give you a shameless plug moment.

Yash Egami: We just launched The One Show Awards, our global marquee creative awards. We also reintroduced the Crystal Pencil, originally designed by George Lois, as our Best of Discipline award. We invite creatives from around the world to enter, and we hope to see everyone in New York this May.

Jen Harrington: Thank you so much for being on the show. Be sure to follow us on YouTube and LinkedIn for more conversations like this on Eat In or Dine Out.

 

Watch Now