Producer Landscape Study Update
When we investigated the Producer discipline in 2024, we set out to create a foundation for a misunderstood and undervalued profession. The research went deep, and the insights were clear. Producers can and should be better utilized and recognized for the benefit of not only many professionals but also most creative service and innovation product businesses.
Data from the Producer Landscape Study
After another challenging year in the industry, amidst ongoing layoffs, consolidations, and hot takes on AI from every other podcast, we couldn’t help but be curious if anything had changed or if we could learn anything else. So, almost exactly one year later we did a spot-check survey, repeating most of the questions from 2024. We had been hopeful to see some positive changes and gain deeper insights in order to further push the industry; we had been eager to find an interesting story to tell this year.
Overall, the industry at large seems to be stuck in a rut when it comes to the Producer model and role. We do not see the Producer role’s impact growing or influence increasing. We do not see the Producer role being better understood or positioned. We don’t see signals of value. What we do see are more squandered opportunities for innovation and change through the Producer role. Buckle your seatbelts as we take you through some of what we learned through our 2025 pulse-check survey.
Despite having an extremely experienced workforce, even fewer businesses are taking advantage of highly experienced Producers.
We learned in 2024 that the more Producers are in positions of influence on business-critical matters, the better end results those businesses have (read: better creative delivery and happier clients). That insight, among others, clearly points to the business benefits of positioning Producers in impactful roles, especially leadership-level roles. Despite having an extremely experienced workforce, even fewer businesses are taking advantage of these highly experienced Producers.
Experience
| Producer Experience | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| 13+ years in the discipline | 50% | 52% |
| 8+ years at current or recent company | 14% | 16% |
| Leadership or Executive level | 55% | 45% |
What this year-over-year comparison shows is that 2% more of Producers have high levels of experience and long tenure, but 10% FEWER of them are in positions of the highest business influence and impact. To corroborate this, Producers’ job duties have adjusted accordingly, with a 13% decrease in leadership being the primary focus of their role.
Role Focus
| Primary focus of role | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Leadership | 35% | 22% |
| Project Management | 28% | 35% |
| Stakeholder / Client Management | 10% | 11% |
| Business Development | 5% | 9% |
In fact, we see this change also reflected in the top three roles that best matches their role duties.
2024 Role Titles
2025 Role Titles
In 2025, leadership was no longer even in the top four role duties for Producers. Considering 45% of Producers report having leader or executive levels of experience, there is a growing discrepancy between the capabilities of Producers, based on their experience and tenure, and what companies engage them to do. Years of experience do not correlate with role level, with data indicating Producers are in roles that don’t align with their experience. In other words, Producers do not seem to have careers with consistent upward mobility in both role and salary.
Producers do not seem to have careers with consistent upward mobility in both role and salary.
Experience vs. Level
| Time in discipline versus role level | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Producers 0-7 years in discipline | 19% | 16% |
| Producers in Individual Contributor- or expert-level roles | 46% | 55% |
Whereas 2024 data showed Producers pay to be on par with their years of experience, 2025 revealed that there is a noteworthy (and damning) 14% delta between years of experience and pay.
Experience vs. Pay
| Years of experience versus pay | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Producers 0-7 years in discipline | 19% | 16% |
| Producers making 0-99k annual salary | 20% | 30% |
It is no surprise then that the 2025 data revealed that 5% more Producers feel like they are at a dead end in their career. This is reflected also in increases to Producers having less input and impact in critical aspects of the work delivery and its success, as well as correlating negative impacts on the work.
Impact
| 2025 changes in Producer impact/input |
|---|
| 2% increase in Producers having NO INPUT on business critical matters |
| 2% increase in Producers having NO INVOLVEMENT in facilitating the team |
| 3% increase in Producers having NO INVOLVEMENT with clients or stakeholders |
| 3% increase in Producers having NO INVOLVEMENT in scoping the work |
This lessened involvement (in areas that 2024 data showed have POSITIVE impacts when Producers are more involved) means in 2025:
| 6% increase in projects that SOMETIMES end on time and on budget |
| 2% increase in rarely or never satisfied clients |
These are disappointing findings after another difficult year in the industry. It’s especially frustrating to see when we KNOW (and have evidence) that, when positioned correctly, Producers make business results better. Producers are a valuable, skilled discipline that could change results for the better… if they were positioned and valued to do so.
Despite all of these disheartening trends, we have seen at least a little positive change in the last year. We have advised forward-thinking agencies and brand studios on the implementation of the Producer Model. And we were thrilled to hear from some smart folks in Canada who have created Producer U, the world’s first online learning platform focusing on the art and science of producing. This is the way.
Producers are a valuable, skilled discipline that could change results for the better… if they were positioned and valued to do so.
In fact, there has never been a better time for companies to enlist skilled Producers in order to gain advantage over those who don’t see the opportunity or benefits. The results above show how much experienced talent is in the wings, ready to transform business. While the rest of the industry wastes this moment, smart leaders can be changing the game by understanding the spark Producers provide and building their business around the right model.
The Producer secures business success as the galvanizer of creative and innovation workflows, leader of projects and teams, keeper of business intelligence, connector of execution to strategy, and champion of relationships inside and outside of the company. This discipline connects team, project, client, and business for the ultimate advantage—an advantage that shrewd leaders will put into play to win.
Get help enabling this proven model to transform your business.
