When 87% of marketing leaders call AI their top priority for 2026, and autonomous shopping agents start determining which brands make the shortlist, it’s worth asking what exactly “readiness” means anymore. Indie Agency News members this week delivered a mix of hard data, creative launches, and strategic thinking that cuts through the usual year-end fluff. From research showing that companies face an 80% chance of brand-damaging crisis within five years, to findings that CMOs with customer-centric growth strategies deliver 1.4x higher performance, the content suggests that survival in the never-normal era requires equal parts preparation, positioning, and creative nerve.
🎯 The Data That Should Make You Sweat
Mower Agency shared research indicating that every organization has an 80% chance during any five-year period of facing a crisis that negatively impacts brand equity by 20%. Not content with just citing the odds, they argue that being “crisis ready” is one of the most important investments a company can make in its long-term success. Meanwhile, Response Media flagged Bain research on how AI-driven discovery is reshaping the early stages of the shopper journey, with autonomous agents now determining which brands make the shortlist. Strong data and CRM foundations will play a key role in helping brands stay relevant to both consumers and the AI tools influencing their choices.
Serviceplan Group released their CMO Barometer 2026, created with the University of St.Gallen and Heidrick & Struggles, showing that AI climbs to the undisputed No. 1 trend for 2026, with 87% rating its use in marketing processes as important or very important. The research reveals market differences—some regions push internationalization while others prioritize sustainability, and in Austria, emotional brand building ranks as high as AI itself. Eight Oh Two Marketing analyzed Google’s Think Leads on Air 2025, pointing out that YouTube Shorts isn’t just riding the wave of Google’s ecosystem—it’s building real trust, with 82% of users saying YouTube Creators are the most trustworthy voices out there.
📊 The Death of the CMO Was Greatly Exaggerated
Ardmore shared findings from the Worldwide Partners global research study “Confessions of a CMO,” showing that when CMOs lead with customer-centric growth, companies see 1.4x higher top line performance—and when that leadership is fully integrated, growth doubles again. The research, featuring anonymous interviews with CMOs across industries and continents, reveals how marketing leaders are adapting, surviving, and thriving in an environment that headlines keep saying should have wiped them out. Five by Five Global also highlighted the report, noting how marketers across the US, UK, and Australia align to one of seven mutations of the CMO role.
🎬 Creative Work That Earned Attention
Sugaroo! Music announced their placement in an American Eagle Outfitters spot featuring Obed Padilla’s “Chicano Poetry,” which samples Darondo’s “Didn’t I.” The pairing was brought to life by Andrea Litton alongside Dylan Bostick and the team at Heavy Duty.
GYK created wildly weird teaser videos for the New Hampshire Lottery’s fall campaign, designed to get people sniffing around for answers about something new cooking at the lottery.
Guesthouse launched the “You Drive Everything” campaign for Flexcar, featuring a new car buyer who quickly learns just how annoying owning a car can be. Guesthouse handled strategy and creative, then directed and produced the work themselves. The Clios provided coverage.
🏆 Recognition and Strategic Moves
Colossus shared two separate achievements this week: ACD Armeen Shaidani was named a judge for the World Brand Design Society Awards, and the agency released work for The New England Center for Children, a worldwide leader in autism research and education.
Campfire recertified as a B Corp with a score of 133, up from their first score of 89.5. Their biggest gains came in Customer Stewardship, earning three Impact Business Models for supporting nonprofits, purpose-driven enterprises, and arts/media organizations. They’re expanding direct-to-publisher work and preparing to integrate carbon accounting into every campaign they run in 2026.
The Gerety Awards made their Los Angeles debut with the first-ever LA Winners Cocktail, celebrating standout work and creative leaders. Hosted by Sophie Gold of Eleanor, the event featured a live Gerety Talk titled “The Industry Unplugged,” moderated by Emma Kuli.
🎙️ Thought Leadership and Strategic Conversations
Curiosity featured best-selling author and Association of National Advertisers keynote speaker Peter Hinssen on their Question Everything podcast, where he shared how CMOs can craft a positive narrative about what he calls the “never-normal” era.
McKinney sat down with Little Black Book to discuss building a “mystery box” startup inside the Cheil Agency Network. Nine months into leading McKinney’s Canadian offering, Associate Creative Directors Hussein Rumaithi and Caleb McMullen talked about earning unfair attention for brands like Popeyes Canada and what’s ahead in 2026.
Saylor founder Will Trowbridge shared the agency’s origin story on the US Agency Awards blog, explaining how years in entertainment marketing and a belief that social media was reshaping how brands meet their audiences gave him clear direction forward—even without standard agency-side experience or partners lined up.
🍽️ Experience Is the Product
Response Marketing analyzed Seed to Table in Naples as a case study in how one concept is redefining what dining can be: high energy, multi-sensory, social, and intentionally designed for people to stay, move, and participate. The result? An estimated 2M+ annual visits and a two-hour average stay. Their breakdown focuses on the strategic lesson that experience isn’t a differentiator anymore—experience is the product.
Chameleon Collective highlighted Fabian Geyrhalter’s feature in AIVA’s new report, “The Evolution of Brand Storytelling.” The report covers how hyper personalization shapes content quality, smarter ways to build story worlds, and who holds influence today.
💼 New Business and Partnerships
TiNY announced their partnership with World Of Hurt, a brand they describe as about to make pain a lot more interesting. Details remain sparse, but the teaser suggests something unconventional is coming.
💙 Giving Tuesday in Action
Dotted Line Agency partnered with Richmond United to bring the Rise Up Fund to life—from naming and strategy to identity and launch—all to help young athletes access the support they need on and off the field.
Yes& Agency accepted the Trailblazer Award on behalf of their team for work with the Women Veterans Interactive Foundation. Since 2020, they’ve shared creative, events, and communication services to help reach and engage women veterans across the nation.
Terri & Sandy teamed up with New Women New Yorkers for Giving Tuesday, asking people to #DonateYourBio to help immigrant women build their careers. The campaign encourages updating LinkedIn headlines to promote the organization and tagging New Women New Yorkers to spread awareness.
🚨 Industry Concerns Worth Noting
SRH flagged a Mark Ritson piece calling out Meta’s handling of scam ads featuring fake celebrity endorsements. The commentary describes the situation as “disturbing”—which feels like an understatement given the scale and impact.
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