South Africa, Nov. 2 -- As a result, cautious optimism is returning to agency-side strategy as practitioners deliver bigger outcomes for CMOs.

These key findings are outlined in Warc's The Future of Strategy 2026, a global survey-led report with insights from nearly 500 marketing strategists about their evolving role.

The annual survey-led Warc study highlights key challenges and opportunities facing agency-side strategists, who are pivotal to the marketing ecosystem, and offers practical ways they can clarify and prove their value.

The research is based on a global survey with 489 strategists fielded in August 2026, the majority of whom are agency-side, and features perspectives from leading strategists around the world.

"Last year's...