In 2026, the thing that stands out most is how fast this industry is moving, faster than at any point I’ve seen in my career. Agencies, brands, and production companies are constantly shifting, merging, restructuring, and rebuilding. And the people inside them are moving just as quickly. The average lifespan of an agency creative these days is about 18 months. That means if you connect with someone today, chances are they’ll be somewhere completely different by next year, maybe even brand-side. The good news is that you’re essentially building a relationship with multiple clients at once – as long as you keep track of where they go!
That level of movement changes what sales and outreach actually mean. When I started, sales in our industry were seen as unnecessary, even a bit smarmy. Agencies had internal service buying teams whose role was to be aware of what production services were out there–which meant that production companies and reps could remain on the agencies’ radar with little effort.
But today, those agency-side roles have disappeared, and the responsibility has shifted wholly to production companies and reps to make sure they are continuously visible. Whether people like the word “sales” or not, the truth is that you cannot rely on posting your reels on your site and expecting the phone to ring. It never really worked that way, and it certainly doesn’t now.
One of the biggest misunderstandings I still encounter is about what a contact database is for. People assume it’s just a place to download email addresses and send out massive blasts. That was never the right way to do it, not 15 years ago, and definitely not now. Filters are stronger, people are more discerning, and blind cold emailing gets you nowhere. What matters is knowing who the person is, what their role actually is, and whether they’re the right contact for the work you produce. The point is insight first, email second, not the other way around.
That’s why we built Agency Source. I’ve said many times that having a place where agencies, brands, production companies, and reps can actually find each other makes everyone’s job easier. When people are constantly moving, when brands are hiring ex-agency people who operate differently, when younger creatives are being better educated about what reps and sellers actually do, staying informed becomes the real advantage. And you simply can’t keep up with all of that manually.
In 2026, success is going to come from consistency: keeping your pipeline flowing, updating your contacts regularly, and accepting that a consistent sales strategy is now an essential part of the job. Whether you want to call it “sales” or not is up to you, but if you don’t have a planned new-business strategy, if you wait until your projects dry up, you’re already too late.
But if you invest just an hour a week making connections, building your network, and staying current, you’ll see the difference.
This year will belong to the people and companies who stay informed, stay adaptable, and stay connected. Knowledge is what will move the work forward, and the people who embrace that will be the ones who thrive.
Ross MacRae is the CEO of Agency Source, helping Advertising Agencies, Production Companies and Reps find new clients internationally for 20 years. Agency Source has live contact details for over 50,000 Chief Marketing Officers, Brand Managers, TV Producers, Art Directors, Creative Directors and Marketers at Ad Agencies and Direct Brands. Our industry-savvy research team keep track of who works where so you don’t have to. Backed up by the mighty research engine at BikiniLists : The go-to resource for global contacts in the creative industry.
