AAR

Some of the valuable things in marketing don't show up in a report. Tobi Asare shares her takeaway from our first Marketing Hot Seat conversation with Katie Jackson 👇

What happens when demands jump by 30%, but your team size stays the same? During his time as CMO at Haven, Reuben Arnold faced this exact reality: the demand skyrocketed, but the headcount remained unchanged, leaving the team running on high gear just to keep up. For Reuben, fixing the "engine room" of marketing isn't about plugging gaps with shiny new tools that simply automate chaos. It’s about building a holistic operating model across People, Process, Platforms, and Partners so teams can shift from constantly "doing" to driving real commercial value. Watch the clip below, or download the complete ReModel report today to learn how CMOs like Reuben transformed operational friction into sustainable growth. Link in comments. #ReModel #MarketingTransformation #MarketingLeadership

"Don't fall off your chair, but I think cult leaders are brilliant marketers."   That's Katie Jackson, Chief Audience & Marketing Officer at Channel 4, in the first edition of Marketing Hot Seat: our new fortnightly series asking senior marketers five questions about what's really shaping marketing, and honest answers on how marketing is led, organised and used to drive growth.   Katie shares: - Why niche community building is the opportunity most brands are missing - How measuring everything can quickly become justifying everything - What actually separates a really good agency partner from a great one   Read the full interview below. #MarketingHotSeat #MarketingLeadership #Marketing

The best media agency isn't the biggest, cheapest, or the one with the flashiest deck. It’s the one that’s the best fit for your brand - from current operational realities to where you’ll be in two years. But how do you pick the right partner to achieve your goals? AAR Partner and Media Lead Consultant Hannah Astill shares her expertise on running the kind of pitch process that doesn’t only help you select an agency, but build a long-term, strategic partnership that fits your brand’s culture, marketing operating model, and future growth. https://lnkd.in/eFGaycSy #MediaAgencies #AgencySelection #PitchConsultant

This walk-and-talk day on the South Downs is one of our favourite moments of 2026 so far. Lovely to hear from the people who joined, and the impact conversations like this have on how we think about our industry.

Can two brains be better than one when driving a massive marketing transformation? 🧠💥 In their episode of ReModel, Tales of Marketing Transformation, Nicola Smedley and Zoe Eungblut (Co-Directors of Marketing and Digital at Cancer Research UK) explored the powerful intersection of executive job-sharing and operating model shifts. The incredible things they are doing in their roles prove that leadership doesn't have to be a solo sport. For them, senior partnership has drastically accelerated organisational change. Watch the clip below, and for the full ReModel series and report, follow the link. https://lnkd.in/eiKH52SZ #MarketingLeadership #MarketingTransformation #ReModel

The market is moving - but the way agencies win new business is changing. Great to see our H1 2026 New Business Market analysis featured in Campaign UK. Our lead consultant Rebecca Nunneley shares why the headline growth in agency reviews is only part of the story, with changing client behaviours, more integrated briefs and evolving expectations reshaping how agencies compete. Read the full Campaign piece below. https://lnkd.in/eHnPBeTB #NewBusiness #AgencyMarket #Advertising

Some reflections are worth taking the time to write. Following this year's AdForum Global Summit, AAR Partner Paul Phillips reflects on a week spent meeting agency and HoldCo leaders across Toronto and New York. One conclusion stood out: in an increasingly complex landscape, the agencies that succeed won't just have the best ideas. They'll be the ones that combine clear thinking, strong execution and the courage to tackle what's hard. Paul explores why in his latest article, alongside seven other observations on the trends shaping agencies and their clients. Read the full article below. https://lnkd.in/eW5kRgcK #AdForum #Marketing #MarketingAgencies

What are you holding onto because it once worked, not because it still does? AAR's Vicky Gillan on why fatigue in client-agency relationships rarely comes from working hard. It comes from working hard inside systems that no longer work. Read the full article below. https://lnkd.in/eRYfPfB8

📈 Completed agency reviews were up 49% in H1 2026, reversing last year's 28% decline. But volume only tells part of the story, and not every category is being bought the way it once was. Our H1 2026 New Business Market analysis, featured in today's Campaign UK, explores what's really driving activity across advertising, media, social, CRM/CX and digital - and what those changing buying behaviours mean for how agencies need to compete. https://lnkd.in/eERfWssm