2026: The Year of the Nimble Indie

The past 12 months have been a bit like being trapped in a room with a monkey holding a loaded machine gun.

No agency has been untouched by the turbulence of a global economy fueled by tariffs, Brexit, cost-of-living, AI, tepid political leadership, wars and climate change.

But you don’t need me to tell you that.

I’m a hopelessly realistic optimist. Sometimes, I’m over-optimistic but this time, I think I’ve got it about right when it comes to the outlook for Britain’s marketing, advertising and PR agency scene.

In essence, we’re about to witness the biggest transfer of marketing budgets from big agency networks to boutique and mid-sized agencies that don’t carry the massive overheads that have blighted ‘big agency’ in 2025.

Nimble, agile and resourceful are just three of the words that are going to dominate the business next year.

AI and the impact of rigorous procurement processes will need to be tempered by creative thinking.

An interview I recently did with the outgoing Chair of D&AD – Tim Lindsay left me with one memorable nugget: “No procurement team has ever told an agency that they’re not charging enough”

It’s not strictly true, there are exceptions of course, but on the whole these days, every bit of business won is usually followed by a request to “shave off a bit”.

Small to mid-sized agencies are best placed to meet that request and also counter it with the value of wonderful creative.

The UK marketing agency scene has never had access to such a wide and diverse set of opportunities, to deliver outstanding work, delivered by an agile workforce from many different backgrounds.

Clients want value, they want creative, they want business partnerships that prioritise their needs, not agency shareholders.

If you can, plug Tom Salmon’s Agency by Agency business and the DBA’s ‘What Clients Think’ research into your toolkit for next year.

You’ll get an understanding of the challenges and opportunities you’re facing.

And for anyone working in new business, this is not a time to be fearful, it’s a time to double down on the effort.

Marketing spend is actually increasing and it’s our job to stop it from being soaked up by mediocre solutions, delivered by social media, tech giants and professional services companies, who techsplain to clients that advertising is a game of numbers and avoiding risk.

It’s not. The best, most creative and most memorable marketing campaigns have been big swings that took chances and left it all on the field.

And if you’re facing an uncertain time in your career, let me help you. Running your own business is the single most liberating form of work that you’ll ever find. It’s not always easy, but just like great creative, with big risks, come big rewards.

We can fight mediocrity with imagination and passion – things that we have in abundance and things that clients need more than ever.

Winning new business is not a game of numbers, it’s a game of logical, targeted persuasion. Clients are frightened by what’s happening to the big agency networks and are looking for alternatives. It’s your job to show them that you can deliver all of the luxuries that big agencies provide and help them advance the ball, not just in inches but by miles.

From our merry little team at The Advertist, we wish you a peaceful holiday and a very prosperous New Year.