The state of the marketing agency sector

February 20, 2026 Media and creative agencies face a range of threats in 2026, from generative AI to media fragmentation and the continued dominance of Meta and Google’s platforms. We've brought together five different ways of seeing the agency sector as things stand now. TOP STORY Evolving Agencies In Graphic Detail: The state of the marketing agency sector Revenue figures from Omnicom, Publicis and Havas, and new employment stats, offer a snapshot on a quickly evolving industry. Advertisement OTHER THINGS TO KNOW The discussion around brand safety and suitability has matured. The industry is now entering a new phase, where brands expect more control, more extensibility into walled gardens and closer accountability to outcomes. Partner insights from Channel Factory. Context takes many forms, often operating beneath the surface of consumer activity. Marketers are increasingly using technology to interpret these micro-signals, enhancing predictive accuracy and creative alignment. Partner insights from Experian. Weather impacts what people try, buy and how they feel. This powers targeting to predict the moments when weather shifts a consumer's mindset toward purchase, driving sales and long-term growth. Learn more in this video. Partner insights from The Weather Company. MARKETING & PLATFORMS Member exclusive Pitch deck: Why Amazon believes its premium streaming inventory is worth the money Amazon is pitching its DSP to make the case. The Creator Economy WTF is a creator capital market? What is a creator capital market, what does it mean for creators looking to diversify revenue, and why is it so closely tied to crypto? PARTNER INSIGHTS FROM KEEN DECISIONS SYSTEMS Why the right timing structure is a strategic lever for building marketing spend By adopting a more optimized flighting approach to ad spend, marketers can deliver more marginal ROI on their investments. This strategy ensures that they're not wasting any of their spending. Retail Media Rewritten Amazon surpasses Walmart in annual revenue for the first time Amazon has eclipsed Walmart in annual revenue for the first time ever. PARTNER INSIGHTS FROM NPR How a new tool is reshaping media optimization strategies, shifting budget to podcasts Podcasts provide a distraction-free, lean-in experience, ideal for complex messaging where trust and attention are paramount. A new tool provides the empirical evidence teams need to move budget into the podcast space more confidently. Advertisement DIGIDAY+ Member exclusive Future of Marketing Briefing: The mental gymnastics of principal media Welcome to the psychological CrossFit class of modern marketing. Here's how marketers are learning to move through it.  PARTNER INSIGHTS FROM NEXXEN Why the 2026 World Cup will be a case study for the fragmented TV space Fragmentation is no longer an edge case in TV — it’s the operating environment. And marketing strategies have to be built with that reality in mind. Here’s how that might play out during the World Cup. ICYMI Generative AI 'Agentic with a small a': CMOs are adopting AI more slowly than it's evolving And the caution isn't confined to large language models or flashy generative tools. It bubbles up just as clearly in decisions about agentic workflows. Marketing on Platforms 'An influential seat at the table': Why Target's retail media business Roundel is one of the first to test ChatGPT ads Roundel’s svp Matt Drzewicki talked about what they expect from the pilot. Written by Jim Cooper and Sara Jerde Were you forwarded this email? Sign up to get it daily. Advertise | Digiday+ | Events | Awards Update your email | Unsubscribe | Privacy policy