Why ad agencies without solid market research will fall behind in 2026

Just 13% of B2B marketing leaders are confident their agency partners possess accurate data about their customers to make smart advertising campaigns that work. 

That’s not a whole lot—especially when considering the purpose of the relationship. Marketers hire agencies to help win over specific audiences. If the agency doesn’t know much about the people it’s paid to persuade, it probably won’t succeed. That’s bad for business.

Marketing always involves risk and uncertainty. Today, however, executives want to remove as many unknowns from the process as possible. The cost of getting it wrong—whether that means posting a tone-deaf comment on TikTok or running an ad next to inappropriate content that clashes with the brand’s identity—is too high. Even minor brand safety missteps can have long-lasting consequences for brand reputation.

Advertising agencies with a solid grasp on what’s happening, because they do their research, are an asset. Marketers certainly view them that way. Indeed, nearly 4 in 5 B2B decisionmakers say they are much more likely to partner with an agency that offers high-quality market research.

The critical role of market research in ad agency success

In uncertain times, it’s difficult to know what’s coming next. Shifts in government policy, coupled with rapid developments in AI technology, are making the future less clear. 

Overall, 79% of B2B marketers admit it’s harder to plan ahead now than it was this time last year.

Amid this apprehension, many are going on defense. 

Around half of B2B marketing leaders are more concerned about brand safety now than they were this time last year. Likewise, most say the desire to appear in brand-safe environments plays a bigger role in determining which channels and platforms to advertise on now than last year.

Key market research insights for advertising agencies

Advertising market research provides the data and insights agencies need to gain a competitive advantage and shine a light on the path forward. Consider these critical statistics:

• Only 13% of B2B marketing leaders are confident their agency partners have accurate customer data.
• Nearly 4 in 5 B2B decisionmakers prefer partnering with agencies that offer high-quality market research.
• 41% of B2B marketing leaders don’t receive market research from their agency partners.
• Just 13% of marketers are very satisfied with the market research provided by agencies.
• Many marketers feel it has been years since their agency or internal insights team uncovered new trends that changed their strategy.

Positioning your agency for success with market research

Agencies that invest in robust market research solutions are better equipped to understand consumer behavior, identify market trends, and navigate the competitive landscape. This expertise enables informed decision making and supports the creation of targeted advertising campaigns that resonate with potential customers and drive measurable impact.

Ultimately, as more change and uncertainty sets in, agencies with access to high-quality market research are better positioned to both win and retain brand clients than those merely hoping that what worked yesterday will work again tomorrow.

Are you an agency that’s ready to get ahead with market research?

Get in touch with us today to start making smarter, data-driven business decisions.