Stop Waiting for the Market to Save You in 2026

When major players like M&C Saatchi and S4Capital publicly downgrade their growth forecasts, that’s not a blip; it’s a signal. Perpetual uncertainty is the new normal, and the gradual decline of traditional holding company dominance proves that relying on market buoyancy is no longer a viable growth strategy. 

However, it’s not all doom and gloom – the market is seemingly resilient and predicted to increase in the UK with growth expected rise by 7% in 2026 (Campaign). 

As C-suite leaders plan for 2026, the question isn’t if the current economic uncertainty will continue, but whether your agency is structurally designed to weather the storm and continue to operate and make a profit. 

The Real Problem: Agency Paralysis 

Agencies often fall into the trap of not challenging the status quo – after all it’s what got them to be successful in the past. 

But the truth is what worked yesterday, will not necessarily work today. 

What you need to do is build long-term resilience throughout your agency structure. This is delivered through calculated systems and processes that drive consistent revenue.

This is what we call Commercial Resilience – the essential operating system for agencies aiming to grow, regardless of the economic climate. 

Tackling Uncertainty Face-On 

For those in C-Suite, there is a need to shift focus to the controllables: Positioning. Pipeline. Pitch performance. Pricing. Promotion. And People. 

Successful agencies know that growth doesn’t happen by accident – it happens by design. They connect their public-facing story with the culture they build internally. This means every employee, regardless of their job function, delivers on the same client (and prospect) promise, authentically; there is real rigour behind every commercial offer or decision, and every single member of their agency is proud to say where they work. 

So, looking ahead to 2026, remember resilience is a mandate for action.

Leadership must prioritise building these commercial systems now to eliminate perpetual chaos and move from fighting fires to driving predictable revenue. 

Be brave, make the decision, and build the infrastructure that allows your agency to thrive even when the market hesitates.