Executive Summary
If one song could capture the mood, momentum, chaos, and electric possibility of advertising as we charge into 2026, it would be Kelly Clarkson’s “Stronger.”
Why? Because everything is being rebuilt—new rules, new models, new ambitions. Because the industry is reshaping itself in real time through restructurings, mergers, acquisitions, and seismic roster shifts. Because a new world order has emerged, with Omnicom rising, WPP stumbling, and legendary brands like DDB being absorbed into new constellations.
Speed has become the new currency. Resilience the defining trait. Budgets tighten even as expectations rise. AI is everywhere, altering craft, workflows, and talent itself. Yet this is not collapse—it’s evolution at full throttle. Harder. Better. Faster. And ultimately stronger.
If this transformation feels overwhelming, remember Pantone’s 2026 Color of the Year: Cloud Dancer, a soft white chosen as a cultural reset—a reminder to breathe as the industry accelerates into its boldest reinvention yet.
George Tannenbaum from GeorgeCo had a different perspective: “I don’t care what Pantone says. The Color of the Year has to be shit show.”
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Newsworthy Reports and Recent Developments
At AMS, we approach the agency management discipline as four distinct but complementary practice areas – Talent, Work and Performance, Financials, and Agency Reviews and Roster Changes – which is how we categorize the following developments.
Table of Contents
Talent……………. page 2
Work and Performance………………… page 9
Financials…………………………. page 12
Agency Reviews and Roster Changes……………… page 16
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Disclaimer: Our bimonthly Industry Updates provide a summary and analysis of noteworthy client-agency developments gathered from recent trade-related publications and news media. The information presented is based on publicly available sources and should not be considered exhaustive.
