Tag: deals

Allpoints Insights

Agency Trends for 2026

Post date December 31, 2025

Banner that has the title 2026 agency trends with a green 2026 as the image

By Max Fellows, Founder of allpoints

Five Big Shifts Reshaping the Industry

As we reflect on 2025 and look forward to 2026, it is no secret the agency sector has experienced a slow down in growth and competition has intensified. The traditional agency model still remains under sustained pressure across the board from clients, to procurement, talent shortages to technology. However, opportunity still exists and 2026 will be the year for agencies who are prepared to adapt quickly and decisively.

Here are five major shifts that will be reshaping the agency industry in 2026, and what agency leaders must do to stay ahead.

1. The Market Will Experience Slower Growth, With More Competition And Tougher Choices

With over 25,000 agencies operating in the UK alone, oversupply has become one of the industry’s biggest structural challenges. Where agencies once enjoyed 30–40% year-on-year growth, most are now operating in a far more constrained environment, with typical growth sitting closer to 6–8%.

The commercial reality is stark, with widespread revenue pressure and margins under constant strain, means many agencies are operating with increasingly thin cashflow buffers. On the opposite end of the scale, buyers within the market will look to consolidate spending and favour agencies that offer scale, as well as multi-disciplinary services with global reach.

2026 will be a barbell market, where well positioned agencies with clear differentiation will continue to win and generalist or undifferentiated agencies will be squeezed. Agency leaders and owners must make tough strategic choices by doubling down on defensible niche offerings or rethinking them completely whilst expanding capability through partnerships or acquisitions.

2. AI Will Move From Experimental Into Adoption

2026 will see AI move from a nice to have, side project to a fundamental operational capability within the agency landscape.

Currently only a minority of agencies have implemented a fully formed AI strategy as part of their daily operations. Many are still experimenting with tools in silo and only using AI for pitching and lead generation.

Early adoption agencies are already seeing clear advantages with faster delivery, leaner teams and more scalable offerings. Most notably, AI is shaping client expectations and brands want agencies that can move at the same pace as their internal teams, this can be achieved through the use and adoption of AI. Agencies who choose to ignore AI in 2026 will get left behind.

In 2026, agencies will need a comprehensive AI strategy that covers:

Operations and delivery efficiency
Commercial modelling and margin protection
Productisation and IP creation
Data capture and insight generation

3. Charging Models Will Shift From Time to Value

The traditional day rate model has been under sustained attack for some time now with value at the heart of the debate. Procurement pressure and budget scrutiny from the client side has exposed the flaws of charging purely for time and resource.

Clients are leaning much more towards outcomes and as a result, agencies are moving towards value-based pricing, with performance-linked fees and profit-share arrangements at the forefront of the agency pricing model. This shift reflects a deeper truth within the industry, that clients hold impact to a higher regard than volume of activity alone.

For 2026, agencies will experience challenges on two fronts when it comes to implementing the correct charging strategy. First, agencies must be far clearer on the value they create commercially, not just creatively. Secondly, they must build financial models that support this shift from time to value, ensuring risk is priced properly and margins are protected.Those that succeed in doing this will unlock stronger client partnerships and more scalable revenue.

4. Centralised Budgets and the Evolving Role of Procurement

Another major shift is the centralisation of marketing budgets, decision-making power is slowly moving away from local teams and into global or regional hubs, often controlled by procurement.

This changes the buying dynamic significantly, with procurement no longer just a cost-control function, it is now shaping agency rosters and contract structures. Agencies that fail to understand this evolution risk being filtered out before they even reach the pitch stage.

Winning in 2026 means speaking the language of procurement and knowing how they operate inside and out. Agencies need:

Clear, transparent pricing
Demonstrable ROI and outcomes
Scalable, repeatable delivery models
Risk mitigation and compliance

Agencies that are able align brand ambition with procurement realities will be far better positioned than those that treat procurement as an obstacle rather than a stakeholder.

5. M&A Continues With Succession Being The Silent Driver

M&A activity in the agency sector will show no sign of slowing down even after 202’s record breaking year. Economic volatility has made deals more complex, but private equity appetite will remain strong throughout 2026, particularly for agencies who offer scale and defensible positioning.

Crucially, succession is becoming one of the biggest drivers of M&A and 2026 looks to be no different, with many founder-led agencies who have shallow management benches and limited long-term transition plans. As a result, a growing number of founders are being forced to consider their exit options sooner than expected, from minority investment, to a majority sale or a full exit.

Succession planning is no longer optional, it’s a necessity for all founder-led agency leaders. Buyers in 2026 will be looking forward, not backward and they want agencies with strong leadership teams, who have clean financials and scalable offerings with AI literacy.

For agency founders looking to exit in the next few years, 2026 represents a narrow window to prepare the business so it is acquirable and attractive to investors.

Looking Ahead 2026 Is The Year For The Leaders, Not The Followers

The agency industry is entering a period of profound change, with oversaturation and slower growth, as well as AI disruption and a looming wave of agency succession, 2026 will be the year that reshapes the agency landscape.

Agencies that thrive in 2026 will be early adopters, who embrace AI into their strategies, and move with the constantly evolving commercial models. They will take time to understand procurement, as well as planning for the future of leadership and ownership.

Tags agency, ai, business owner, creative business, deals, events, growth, mergers and acquisitions

Allpoints Insights

M&A’s of the Month: December 2025

Post date December 17, 2025

By Max Fellows, Founder of allpoints

Bearded Kitten, Bigger Bets and Broader Reach

December rounded off a remarkable year for dealmaking across the events, experiential and broader agency ecosystem. Against a backdrop of heightened strategic activity where buyers are increasingly looking to build scale, deepen capabilities and position for solid growth in 2026, December did not disappoint. The month showed a flurry of activity with a set of headline transactions signalling both ongoing trends of consolidation and targeted capability expansion.

The month began with a flurry of mergers and acquisitions from, Eventbrite‘s acquisition by tech group Bending Spoons, to the merger of UK agency OrangeDoor with US experience agency Unbridled. The acquisitions didn’t stop there, we then saw global exhibition and experiential agency 2Heads acquired by communications group Spiro, and production and corporate events agency FIRST being acquired by Encore.

Make no mistake, each of these December deals are reshaping the events and experiential agency landscape. Here is a deep dive at the key December M&A activity and what they really mean for the sector.

Havas strengthens experiential muscle with Bearded Kitten acquisition

Deal: Havas Play acquired UK-based experiential agency Bearded Kitten.

This move marks a strategic push by Havas to deepen its experiential marketing offering within the global Havas Media Network. Bearded Kitten is a multi award-winning agency known for immersive brand activations and end-to-end experience design that brings specialist capabilities in prop-making, theatrical production and immersive campaign delivery to the table.

Founded in 2007 and working with clients including Netflix, Unilever, Google and Disney, the 45-person team now sits alongside Havas Play’s broader experiential proposition within the UK and global market. The acquisition creates a nearly 200-strong experience division within Havas Play UK, underlining their premium position in the high-impact experiential brand market.

Why it matters?

This consolidation speaks to a broader trend within the market where holding groups are enhancing in-house creative and production expertise, especially in immersive and experiential marketing, to meet growing demand from brands seeking differentiated, culture-driven engagement.

Beyond the Headlines: December’s M&A Momentum

While not all deals in the events and agency space have been publicly disclosed or as widely reported, the broader market continues to be buoyant and reflects the momentum we have seen throughout 2025.

Globally M&A activity has rebounded strongly this year, with strategic deals forming a significant part of deal value growth across multiple sectors. Strategic buyers are increasingly using M&A to drive growth and pivot into new capabilities and markets.

Beyond the experiential and events world, large holding companies and networks like Havas are also active in other markets and sectors. Recent acquisitions in media and data assets with the purchase of Australian based independent media group, Kaimera indicates an appetite within the market to explore diversification strategies that straddle traditional creative, tech and data services.

Thought 2026 Outlook For Agencies and Brands

For agencies December’s deals underscore that scale remains a strong differentiator, particularly where strategic offerings or specialist skills such as experiential production can be brought under a unified network. Independent agencies with strong niches and demonstrable capability will continue to attract buyer interest.

For clients and brands consolidation will continue to amplify the value proposition for end-to-end partners looking to combine media, creative, tech and live experiences. Buyers are increasingly seeking seamless delivery models that reduce friction between strategy, creativity and execution.

For the market as a whole, corporate confidence and strategic M&A intent remain healthy, reflecting a positive outlook for robust dealmaking across varying sectors. Agencies should sharpen their value narratives and consider how scale, specialisation or integration into broader networks might shape their next phase of growth.

Final Thought

December’s activity was anchored by the high-profile Havas-Bearded Kitten deal which reinforces that 2025 is closing with a strong statement on industry consolidation and capability expansion. As we head into 2026, we expect buyers will continue to prioritise deals that incorporate differentiated talent, technology, and immersive experiences.

Tags agency, ai, business owner, creative business, deals, events, growth, mergers and acquisitions

Allpoints Insights

Events Sector Shake-Up: Why Yesterday’s M&A Surge Matters

Post date December 3, 2025

Image showing Deals in green and Midweek M&A’s: A Big Deal For Events

By Max Fellows, Founder of allpoints

Yesterday the events sector saw an unusually high volume of M&A action. Four substantial deals were announced, each with different dynamics, but all pointing to the same trend of consolidation and strategic repositioning.

First, Eventbrite agreed to be acquired by tech group Bending Spoons in an all cash transaction valued at an estimated $500M.

Eventbrite will now transition from public ownership into the hands of a private company who own an impressive portfolio of businesses such as Vimeo and WeTransfer to name a few. The tech arm of Bending Spoons signals renewed investment for the Eventbrite platform resulting in improvements in its product capabilities, potentially including AI assisted event creation, better ticketing experiences and improved long-term platform development.

Secondly, UK based agency OrangeDoor merged with US experience agency Unbridled, combining OrangeDoor’s strong UK creative events and exhibitions heritage with Unbridled’s US experience agency footprint.

Not long after the OrangeDoor and Unbridled announce, global exhibition and experiential agency 2Heads broke the news that they had been acquired by communications group Spiro. Adding 2Heads’ live events and experiential capabilities to Spiro’s current offering will help them broaden their comms and content services.

Finally, production and corporate events agency First has been acquired by Encore, further strengthening Encore’s global agency side footprint and production offering.

Consolidation in Motion: Four Deals Redefining the Events Landscape

These Four deals took place in four distinctive parts of the events market, and all of them were structured under the guise of consolidation, capability aggregation and strategic repositioning.

Why now?

These moves are the industries response to client expectations for end-to-end capability that promotes scale, global reach, and certainty in delivery. Agencies and platforms that can offer breadth of service offering, from creative concept to global delivery, to ticketing tech and live production, are far more attractive to buyers than niche standalone players.

What does it mean for the agency landscape?

Expect tighter competition, raised expectations from clients, and increased pressure on independents. Buyers will look to agencies with depth in their senior leadership, as well as proven delivery, and a diversified service offering. These deals ensure the agencies have a strong operational discipline and long term vision.

At the same time, this wave of consolidation presents a real opportunity for independents with clarity of proposition, strong client retention, disciplined commercial operations and a compelling value narrative. If you are in that position now is the time to sharpen your strategy, invest in structure and consider whether you want to build for scale or position yourself as a viable acquisition target.

Final Thought

What we saw yesterday was not a random flurry, it was a strong message and indicator that the events and experiential industry is entering a new phase. Those who understand the new landscape and act accordingly will benefit tremendously.

Tags agency, ai, business owner, creative business, deals, events, growth, mergers and acquisitions

Allpoints Insights

The Real-Life Succession Unfolding Across UK Agencies

Post date November 19, 2025

By Max Fellows, Founder, allpoints

Succession stories make great TV: from Waystar RoyCo in Succession to the brewing dynasty in Netflix’s new House of Guinness, but while those dramas play out on screen, a quieter, no-less-intense version is happening across UK agencies right now.

Since the boom of the early 2000s, around 43% of agency founders are now in their early 60s. With over 25,000 agencies in the UK across brand experience, events and creative services, the question of who takes over next isn’t a niche concern, it’s about to redefine the industry’s structure for the next decade.

The generational tipping point

The first generation of modern agency founders built their businesses in an era of growth, global expansion and post-recession resilience. Many of them are now facing their biggest challenge yet: how to exit gracefully without dismantling the culture, reputation and client trust they’ve spent 20 years building.

What happens next will depend on the choices these leaders make. Some will sell, others will merge, and a few will simply fade out. But just as often, their senior lieutenants, those account directors, strategists and creative leads who’ve grown up under them, are spinning out to start something new. It’s the natural lifecycle of our sector: succession breeds reinvention.

The tax trigger

The latest tax rise has accelerated the shift. With the first tax bill now a million pounds higher, Employee Ownership Trusts (EOTs) are booming, up nearly 40% this year. Entirely tax-free and approved by HMRC, EOTs let founders sell to a trust representing their employees, using the business’s own profits to fund the buy-out.

It’s a smart, sustainable route for those who want to protect their teams and legacy, but it’s not without risk. The business has to stay profitable for years to pay the founder out, and many owners still hold up to 50% of shares, creating a complex “double-dip” dynamic. Still, compared with the volatility of private equity or trade sales, EOTs are offering a new kind of stability, and increasingly, credibility.

Slowing growth, rising pressure

The backdrop to all this is far from buoyant. Agency growth has slowed to 6–8% year on year, down from 30–40% a decade ago, and 90% of agencies reported revenue losses in the past 12 months. Against that reality, the old playbook of “grow fast, sell high” simply doesn’t hold.

The next few years will see a polarisation of the market. On one side, large networks and investor-backed groups will continue consolidating. On the other, lean, independent agencies, often led by second-generation founders, will focus on agility, specialism and purpose. The mid-market players in between will face the toughest squeeze.

Planning the handover

If House of Guinness taught us anything, it’s that chaos fills the vacuum when succession isn’t planned. The same applies here. Too many founders still treat succession as a distant problem rather than an urgent business priority.

The answer lies in early planning, financial literacy and transparent leadership. Decide your endgame before you’re forced into it. Bring your senior team into the conversation. And treat succession not as an ending, but as the start of your agency’s next chapter.

In the 1800s, Guinness heirs fought over barrels. Today, we’re fighting over clients, culture and continuity. The agencies that survive, and thrive, will be those that understand that succession isn’t a storyline. It’s strategy.

Tags agency, business owner, creative business, deals, Employee Ownership Trust, events, growth, mergers and acquisitions, UK agency succession

Allpoints Insights

April Deals, Disruptions & Data: The Agency Moves Shaping the Events Industry

Post date April 7, 2025

By Max Fellows, Founder of Allpoints

The events and experiential marketing industry is buzzing with activity, as mergers and acquisitions continue to redefine the competitive landscape. From powerhouse collaborations to strategic expansions, here’s a roundup of the most significant deals from the past 30 days.

1. Common Interest Acquires Amplify, Wonder, and Seed

Image: Jonathan Emmins, Amplify and Freedman, Common Interest

In a groundbreaking move within the brand experience sector, Common Interest has acquired Amplify, Wonder, and Seed, three renowned agencies known for their innovative approaches to brand activations and experiential marketing.

Amplify, an award-winning agency with offices in London, Los Angeles, Paris, New York, and Sydney, has worked with high-profile clients such as adidas, Airbnb, Google, Netflix, and PlayStation.
Wonder specialises in delivering creative events for global brands.
Seed is recognised for its expertise in experiential campaigns that drive cultural relevance.

Anthony Freedman, Founder and CEO of Common Interest, shared: “We’re here to find new ways to harness the power of creativity in culture to deliver growth in brand and business.”

What this means for the industry:
This acquisition signals a major shift in the brand experience space. By integrating Amplify’s global reach and creative expertise alongside Wonder and Seed’s innovative capabilities, Common Interest is poised to empower creativity on a global scale.

2. Camm & Hooper Joins Broadwick Group

Big news for the events world! 🎉 Camm & Hooper has officially joined forces with Broadwick Group following a strategic restructure. This merger brings together two giants in venue management and live experiences.

Camm & Hooper’s iconic venues, such as Banking Hall, OXO2, 26 Leake Street, and Victoria Bath House, will now be part of Broadwick’s impressive portfolio.

Simon Tracey, CEO of Broadwick Group, commented: “We’re thrilled to welcome Camm & Hooper to the Broadwick family. This marks an exciting new chapter for both brands, building on their legacy to create unforgettable experiences.”

Derick M., CEO of Camm & Hooper, added: “This isn’t just about a merger – it’s about pushing boundaries and unlocking new opportunities in the events space.”

What this means for the industry:

Expanded offerings of world-class event spaces across London.
Strengthened leadership in venue management and live experiences.
A bold step forward for innovation in the UK events scene.

3. Freeman Acquires Tag Digital

Freeman has announced its acquisition of Tag Digital, a digital marketing agency specialising in event organisers across EMEA, APAC, and North America. Tag Digital will integrate with Freeman’s mdg division to enhance digital marketing capabilities using AI-driven tools designed to optimise audience engagement.

What this means for the industry:

Increased focus on connecting millennial and Gen Z audiences through digital-first strategies.
Strengthened global reach for event organisers, leveraging advanced AI-powered solutions.

4. MCI UK Merges with Meet & Potato

Another exciting development sees MCI UK merging with creative events agency Meet & Potato. This partnership combines MCI UK’s global event design expertise with Meet & Potato’s immersive experiential approach, strengthening both firms’ positions in the industry.

MCI UK, part of the Geneva-based MCI Group, delivers high-end event design, conference management, and incentive planning for brands like Ocado, Adobe, and Ubisoft. Meanwhile, Liverpool-based Meet & Potato has built a reputation for crafting engaging brand experiences for Dunelm, Magnet, and Holland & Barrett.

Charlee Gough, Managing Director of MCI UK, commented: “Meet & Potato brings an energy and creative flair that mirrors our own. This merger supercharges our ability to deliver imaginative, insight-led experiences that inspire audiences and drive engagement.”

Jon Kelly, Founder of Meet & Potato, added: “In MCI UK, we’ve found the perfect partner – an agency with the strategic thinking, global reach, and creative integrity to help us scale our ambition without losing what makes us unique.”

What this means for the industry:

Expanded regional presence, particularly in Northern England.
Strengthened creative and strategic service offerings.
A step forward in AI-powered event experiences and consultancy.

Kru Live Joins Brand Partnership Group

Kru Live has officially joined the Brand Partnership Group in a landmark acquisition that marks a defining moment for the brand experience and event staffing industry.

From its roots in Southampton to becoming a global leader, Kru Live’s journey continues, now with even greater scale and opportunity. This move will unlock enhanced capabilities, expanded resources, and innovative solutions for clients around the world, while remaining true to the people-first culture that defines the brand.

Sarah-Jane Benham, CEO of Kru Live Global, will continue to lead the business, driving forward an ambitious growth agenda. Founder Tom Eatenton will exit the business as part of the transition. This new chapter is powered by the strategic vision of Andrew Leaver, CEO of Brand Partnership Group, whose leadership experience across Samsung and Blue Square brings a wealth of expertise to the partnership.

What this means for the industry:

A new benchmark for excellence in experiential staffing.
Greater global scale and delivery capabilities.
Strong leadership continuity with ambitious growth plans.

Industry Trends to Watch: Consolidation & Innovation

These acquisitions highlight key trends shaping the events industry:

Global Expansion: Companies are acquiring assets to strengthen their presence across continents (e.g., Common Interest expanding globally with Amplify).

Sector Diversification: Agencies like Freeman are investing heavily in technology-driven solutions to meet evolving client needs.

Creative Collaborations: Partnerships like Broadwick Group and Camm & Hooper demonstrate how merging expertise can unlock new opportunities for innovation.

With these bold moves reshaping the landscape, one thing is clear: The events industry is entering an exciting new era of creativity and growth! Stay tuned for more updates as these collaborations unfold!

The big question: Who’s next?

Tags agency, deals, mergers and acquisitions

Allpoints Insights

March – Deals, Disruptions & Data: The Agency Deals Shaping the Events Industry

Post date March 10, 2025

By Max Fellows, Founder of allpoints

The independent agency world is buzzing with major mergers and acquisitions this month, with strategic moves that will reshape branding, creative strategy, and experiential marketing. Whether you’re an agency insider, a marketing strategist, or just someone who loves to see industry shake-ups, these latest deals are setting the stage for bold new collaborations. Grab a coffee (or something stronger), and let’s dive into the biggest industry moves happening right now.

1. Common Thread Group Launches & Acquires Notepad | B Corp

Ideas + Outcomes

A major new player has entered the independent agency scene: Common Thread Group. This London-based collective is bringing together top-tier agency talent to work with leading brands. In a major first move, the group has acquired Notepad | B Corp, a Birmingham-based brand and creative agency.

The Takeaway for the Agency Industry:
This move signals an ongoing trend of independent agencies uniting under larger collectives, allowing for greater creative collaboration, resource sharing, and strategic growth. Expect more bold, results-driven branding solutions from this new powerhouse.

2. Impact XM Acquires Touch Associates

A game-changing move in experiential marketing—Impact XM has acquired Touch Associates, merging two leaders in brand experiences, events, and creative production.

The Takeaway for the Agency Industry:
With this acquisition, Impact XM significantly expands its creative and strategic capabilities, allowing brands to deliver more immersive, high-impact experiences on a global scale. The industry is seeing a shift toward fully integrated experiential solutions.

3. Opus Agency Expands with The Company We Keep

Kim Kopetz, President and CEO of The Opus Group (left), Nigel Ruffell, CEO of The CWK (middle), and Dena Lowery, President of Opus Agency (right), in Sydney, Australia.

Global experiential leader Opus Agency has acquired The Company We Keep, an Asia-Pacific-based experiential marketing agency. This move solidifies Opus Agency’s presence in key international markets and strengthens its ability to execute seamless brand experiences worldwide.

The Takeaway for the Agency Industry:
The rise of global experiential networks means more comprehensive, multi-market event solutions for brands. This is a sign that event agencies are prioritising seamless execution across regions, ensuring a consistent brand presence.

4. IPG Sells Huge & R/GA

A major shift in agency ownership—IPG has sold two of its most well-known digital agencies, Huge and R/GA, to private equity firms.

Huge was acquired by AEA Investors and merged with Hero Digital, forming a consolidated, digital-first agency. Meanwhile, Truelink Capital acquired R/GA, marking its return to independence after 23 years under IPG.

The Takeaway for the Agency Industry:
This isn’t just IPG trimming its portfolio—it signals a fundamental shift in how creative agencies are owned and operated. Holding companies are selling, while private equity firms are buying. The focus is shifting from traditional creative-driven business models to operational efficiency, AI-powered creativity, and scalable financial returns.

Expect to see more PE firms entering the space, reshaping the way agencies operate and generate value.

What This Means for the Industry

The independent agency world is seeing significant consolidation, with major players scaling up and acquiring strategic assets to enhance their capabilities. Whether it’s creative branding, experiential marketing, or integrated event production, these deals are shaping the future of the industry.

The big question: Who’s next?

Tags agency, deals, mergers and acquisitions

Allpoints Insights

February – Deals, Disruptions & Data: The Agency Deals Shaping the Events Industry

Post date February 17, 2025

By Max Fellows, Founder of allpoints

The events industry never stands still, and this month is no exception. There’s plenty to talk about from ambitious startups shaking up corporate retreat planning to major acquisitions reshaping the global event infrastructure landscape. Whether you’re an event planner, a tech aficionado, or just someone who loves to see how the industry evolves, these latest deals are set to make waves. So, grab a coffee (or something stronger), and let’s dive into the biggest moves and shake-ups happening right now.

Informa’s Acquisition of Ascential

Informa, a UK-listed business events group, acquired its British rival Ascential for £1.2 billion. This acquisition is part of Informa’s strategy to restructure its operations and focus on major industrial trade events, moving away from smaller-scale gatherings.