Every agency regularly talks about the big things and for good reason. The work. The strategy. The People. But often, what helps these things land properly are the smaller details around them.

The Ingenuity Group has appointed Mark Inskip to the role of group chief executive officer.

Rory Sutherland Shares New Thinking, Key Trends, and What’s Next for MAD//Masters

The value of the intermediary lay in neutrality, market knowledge and process rigour. In today’s marketing landscape, this is no longer enough.

The role of the modern, progressive CMO has become an intricate balancing act. Today’s marketing leaders need to be commercial negotiators, data architects, and relationship managers as well as brand champions across increasingly fragmented multi-agency ecosystems.

Big conversations. Big energy. Big northern momentum. MAD//North 2026 brought the industry together for two days packed with bold thinking, new connections and real opportunity, and The Ingenuity Group was right in the mix. From high-impact MAD//Meets sessions connecting brands and agencies, to standout moments across the wider programme, it was a powerful reminder of the creativity and ambition driving the North. Hit play for a glimpse into the people, the pace and the moments that made it happen.

A structured, well governed pitch process offers a clear alternative. It transforms agency selection into a disciplined exercise to support long term partnership and value creation for all.

In 2026, the most effective CMOs will be judged on the systems they build, not just the names on their roster. As 2025 ended we saw the UK market beginning to split into two distinct paths: the integrated platform (the holdcos) and the agile specialist (the indies).

The right partner accelerates performance, unlocks breakthrough ideas, and strengthens internal capability. As expectations rise, brands need more structured and insight led ways to navigate the landscape.

For years, the industry has relied on a familiar ritual: the traditional, full-service agency pitch. Weeks of meetings, tissue sessions, chemistry workshops, final presentations, all culminating in a winner chosen to take a brand forward.

Real partnership success comes from something closer to a rehearsal, where teams work together, explore challenges honestly, and see how ideas develop in motion.

We brought together senior marketers and agency leaders to discuss what they believe the future of marketing looks like and how to prepare.