Lots of workshops and glossy decks; little proof, vague messaging, little enablement, no adoption plan, and no funnel movement.

Agency theater is when the process looks impressive but doesn’t change hiring or business outcomes. Signs: months of “discovery,” a giant brand book, a flashy launch, and then recruiters go back to improvising. Messaging stays generic because it was built by committee. Proof is thin (“great culture”), and tradeoffs are avoided. There’s no measurement plan tied to apply/reply/accept, and no integration into ATS/CRM templates or interview kits. If it doesn’t produce a repeatable choosability system of tools and proof. It’s theater.