About the IPA Beacon project
By Ellen Hammett, Editor-in-chief
It has been a soap opera of twists, turns, radical restructures and consolidation across our industry over the past 12 months.
AI is charging full steam ahead and ripping the rug from beneath the holding groups, forcing industry-wide transformation and giving rise to new players. At the same time, the industry is having to navigate an enduringly tough geopolitical and socioeconomic landscape. Agencies are changing the way they interact with clients. Brands are changing the way they interact with consumers. It is becoming increasingly difficult to meet people where they are and in the way that they expect.
Last year’s inaugural Beacon shone a light on the breadth of skills and innovation on display, but we knew that was just the tip of the iceberg. Indeed, having interviewed founders at agencies of all kinds, sizes and maturities for the past few months, there is clearly plenty more growth and innovation to celebrate.
From trying new ways of working to developing new tools and technologies that carve a real point of difference, our 2026 cohort has recognised a need to do things differently and put the wheels in motion. But this year, something feels different. There is a greater sense of urgency.
It is why we have introduced a new ‘Ones to Watch’ section this year, spotlighting three very new agencies that are only just finding their feet. Whether driven by people, culture or technology, new minds are coming up with new ideas all the time. They are united by their ability to see the gap well in advance, and move quickly enough to fill it.
We cannot predict what will happen tomorrow, let alone next year. But we expect to see many of the fledgling marketing solutions in this list start to shape the market, intensifying the competition and creating new gaps to fill. We will be ready to shine a light on those that are prepared to move with it.
Explore the IPA Beacon 2026 agencies