| | | | | | | | | | | | | | In this time of industry change: sharing ideas, experience and success stories with other agency leaders is more important than ever before. Here are our major opportunities for you in 2026– please save the dates! | | | | Missed the Cannes Review
Why Not Listen to The Podcast? 22nd-26th June, Cannes, France
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Cannes, what a week it was! The energy, the conversations, the connections and of course, our Indie Forum at Le Club MSQ — But weeks on, now is the time to reflect!
Julian Boulding, joined The New Abnormal Podcast hosted by Sean Pillot de Chenecey, to discuss the renowned Cannes Review. Recorded on the same day as it's release Julian illuminates a range of the key talking points from the event, in what was a challenging year for the Lions…
We hope you enjoy the listen in what is a very insightful conversation!
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The Indie Awards 2027
The Indie Awards are back. Later this month, we'll be revealing the categories for this year's awards, celebrating the best of independent agency work from across the network. Whether you're gearing up to enter or just want a first look at what's on the table, keep an eye on your inbox.
Categories drop end of August. Get ready.
Any questions email Alice.carr@thenetworkone.com
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Indie Summit 2027— Save the date!
Our annual conference is back, and this year we're heading to Madrid!!!
Think sun-soaked squares, world-class tapas, and a city built for connection — the perfect backdrop for the network to come together again.
Indie Summit alumni and newcomers will gather once more for the independent agency event of the year!
We're finalising the dates with our hotel and have it down to three options.
We'd love your input before we lock it in: - 18th–21st April 2027
- 26th–28th April 2027
- 10th–12th May 2027
Which works best for you? Send your thoughts to maddie.pluck@thenetworkone.com
Tickets go live beginning of September. Ge ready to join us in Madrid!
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Something New is Coming to thenetworkone thenetworkone's Tier System | |
Right now, members get on-demand access to 1,600+ vetted independent agencies across 120+ countries.
From the end of August, there's a new way to belong.
We're introducing a tier system, giving you more ways to get involved, get spotlighted, and engage at the level that's right for you. Accredited Agencies is going formal, with health checks every 3 years to keep the network as trusted as ever.
A new lighter-touch option is joining the mix, opening the door to more of the community and engagement that comes with being part of thenetworkone community.
More ways to belong. More ways to be seen. More sustainable connections.
Full details land end of August. Watch this space.
For more insight, get in touch!
| | | | thenetworkone New Members: | |
We are excited to welcome Digitect
as new member to thenetworkone!
A full-service creative agency based in Jeddah, Riyadh, Cairo and now London. Blending research, creativity and technology, DIGITECT crafts branded experiences across strategy, creative, social, PR and technology for clients including Audi, Bentley, Porsche, Škoda and Lebara. Welcome to the network!
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We are delighted to welcome Bruketa& as new members!
Bruketa& is an award-winning advertising and branding agency based in Zagreb, Croatia. | | | |
Founded in 1995, the agency has grown into one of the most respected and successful creative agencies in South-East Europe. They offer a full-service creative solution spanning branding, digital, PR, AV production, activations and content creation.
They are celebrated for storytelling-led campaigns that connect with audiences on an emotional level, blending humour, nostalgia and humanity to build long-lasting client relationships. Their portfolio spans global giants like Coca-Cola, Heineken, Dove, PlayStation, Renault Nissan and UNICEF, and their work has picked up Cannes Lions, Effie, Clio, D&AD, ADC New York, Cresta and Epica awards, plus AdAge's International Small Agency of the Year title.
| | | | | | We are delighted to welcome Piabo as new members!
PIABO Communications is Europe’s leading communications agency for the world’s most innovative companies. | | | |
Since 2006, they have helped startups, scaleups, global brands and investors increase visibility, build trust and shape market leadership through strategic communications, public relations, social media, content marketing, influencer relations, executive positioning and AI visibility (GEO).
With offices in Berlin, Munich, Hamburg, Paris and Singapore, PIABO supports clients across Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France and Southeast Asia, while delivering international campaigns across Europe and beyond through a trusted network of partners. They help innovative organizations become the companies customers, investors, talent and AI platforms find, trust and remember. | | | |
UPCOMING WEBINARS - Register Now: | | | | From Selling Time to Selling Value – A Strategy for Monetising Intellectual Property with Actus Consulting | |
AI is making time abundant. Abundance kills price. So what exactly are you selling?
Join us on 10th September for a free 45-minute webinar with Dan Egerton, Founder of Actus Consulting.
For decades, the agency revenue model has been simple: People × Hours × Rate. It worked, until it didn't. AI isn't destroying agencies. Billing hours is.
Dan will walk you through a practical strategy to shift from selling time to selling value, and finally monetise the intellectual property your business is already sitting on.
Dan will cover: - Why the time-based model is broken and what replaces it
- How to name, codify and own your thinking as a commercial asset
- The human side of transformation, and why 70% of change programmes fail
There'll be plenty of time for questions at the end. | | | | | | | | Getting Found by AI The visibility tactics that work! with Discovrd | |
Date: 8th October
Time: 1pm Location: Online Host: Francesca Brookes, Discovrd
Your customers are still searching. They're just not always seeing you.
AI-generated answers, assistant-led research and agentic shopping have changed what "visible" means, and most brands haven't updated their approach.
Join Francesca Brookes for a practical, no-hype session on what's actually working in AI visibility right now, plus a Black Friday prep list you can start actioning the same week.
What you'll learn: - How AI systems choose which sources to cite, and the content structures that get picked up
- The technical basics quietly blocking your visibility, and how to fix them
- How to measure visibility now that clicks don't tell the whole story
- A practical Black Friday prep list covering product content, agent-readiness and pre-traffic checks
| | | | thenetworkone Community News and Events: | |
Shortlist:
Awards intelligence, built for independents | |
We are excited to announce a new partnership with Shortlist - an awards intelligence platform built specifically for agencies, by Ben Condit who's spent 25+ years running award programmes (and racked up a 37% medal rate doing it!).
Here's the headline stat: a full award entry that used to take a lead strategist around 40 hours now takes under two. Upload your brief, and Shortlist recommends the strongest show-and-category combinations with a win-likelihood score attached - so you know where you've got a real shot before you commit the entry fee. It also drafts entries in your agency's own voice, jury-scores them against that specific show's criteria, and can even generate your press kit and video script once you've been shortlisted.
One insight from founder Ben Condit's research really stood out to us: awards juries are far more concentrated than they look - roughly 100 people hold 40% of president and chair seats across the major global shows, with the same names reappearing year after year. The jury is more knowable than most agencies realise, and Shortlist tracks it properly, across 30+ shows and counting.
More details coming for members soon. Watch this space. Or email alice.carr@thenetworkone.com for more information.
| | | | | | | | ESOMAR Connect | Shenzhen
Tuesday 25th August | Shanghai | | Julian Boulding will be presenting alongside Bolor Narantsatsralt at ESOMAR Connect Shenzhen, hosted jointly by SMR China, SMR Hong Kong and CMIA under the theme of helping Chinese brands go abroad.
Talk: "Fast/Slow – Slow/Fast: Managing Cultural Expectations in Cross-Border Research"
Date: 25th of August 2026
Will you be there? Let us know!
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Shanghai International Advertising Festival 2026 thenetworkone are attending
26th–28th August | Shanghai | FREE TO ATTEND | |
SHIAF brings together world-class creative work, AI thinking and industry leaders from across the globe. If you're based in Asia, or have clients there, it's unmissable.
Julian Boulding, Founder of thenetworkone, joins the judging panel alongside senior figures from Yandex, LinkedIn China, DJM Consulting and hubStudio.ai.
Panel: "Effective Approaches to Support Chinese Companies Expanding Overseas"
Wed 26th August, 15:30–16:10 — Julian Boulding and Bolor Narantsatsralt (thenetworkone), with Arnold Ng (CEO, Chord Asia) and Steven Proud (Brandigo), moderated by CiCi Fang (ESOMAR China).
Grand Prix & Award Ceremony: 28th August
Interested? Email alice.carr@thenetworkone.com · shiaf.com.cn
| | | | | | | | | | Golden Drum - The Festival
We're proud to continue our partnership with the Golden Drum Festival in 2026 to celebrate creative excellence across Europe and beyond.
Golden Drum is one of the seven regional festivals in the WARC Rankings, reflecting its global industry significance. Held on the Slovenian coast, it's become a key meeting point for the global creative community, bringing together some of the best ideas and teams shaping the industry.
As part of our ongoing collaboration, Grand Prix and Gold-winning work from independent agencies automatically qualifies for the Indie Awards - giving your work an extra international platform.
Entry deadline: 26 August 2026 (23:59 CET) Attend the festival: 12th-13th October 2026 | | | | | | Golden Drum - Young Winners Competition
| | For all young employees under 30 years old, this is an opportunity for you.
We are proud to be supporting The Young Drummers Competition.
This year’s competition brief, developed in partnership with Mastercard Slovenia, is titled World. One Tap Away., invites participants under 30 years old to create a poster or poster series, supported by a written explanation of their creative idea. The focus is on highlighting Mastercard’s seamless cross-border payment experience.
Entry fee is only 70 EUR (Mastercard Price) / 90 EUR (Standard Price).
The winner receives a complimentary pass for the festival, international promotion and a 1,000 EUR prize.
All shortlisted authors receive a complimentary pass to the festival as well.
Entry deadline is 9th September 2026. | | | | | | | |
Digital Bash Take the Stage at DMEXCO! We have ONE slot left.
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Digital Bash is going big at DMEXCO this year — a major booth in Hall 8, curated Innovation Stage panels, exclusive networking, and their live Streaming Stage with t3n. Their agenda is packed, but they've intentionally saved one final slot on the Streaming Stage for a network one agency. Not for another pitch, but for perspective: a controversial thesis, a deep discussion, or a case study worth the spotlight!
What topic will dominate the industry this September? Who has a use case that deserves to be heard? Sound like you? Get in touch
thenetworkone will also be there, and we'd love to meet agencies while we're on the ground. If that's you, get in touch with maddie.pluck@thenetworkone.com to discuss the speaking opportunity or just to say hello.
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Neuravo - by LEX LAB
Research, planning and live monitoring in one platform; 30 days of Neuravo free if you activate by October 1st
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You've seen it: budget still spending against an audience that already converted, on creative gone stale, and nobody catches it until the post-campaign report.
That's a planning problem - research, plans and live campaigns all live in separate systems, so the numbers that would change your mind arrive after the budget's committed.
Neuravo fixes that. Give it a budget and an objective, and it generates a first plan from its predictive model the same afternoon, no implementation project, no historical data to load.
Sign up and activate by October 1st for 30 days free access. Long enough to run a real campaign, not just a trial.
We're also opening applications for the Founding 25: the standard trial plus a personalised onboarding programme with our founder (worth $1,500), calibrated to your agency's own planning and buying history. Places limited to 25.
| | | | | | | | YOptima is a data-driven media and martech partner to marketers worldwide. They address the CMO's business growth objectives via programmatic media, growth consulting and big data analytics.
Ranked by Deloitte amongst top 25 Fastest Growing Tech Companies in India in 2022, YOptima is a Red Herring Global 100 winner. YOptima is a Google Premier Partner, a Google International Growth Partner and a Google certified Adtech Provider. | | | | | | | | Opportunity for 2026: international employee exchange | | A fantastic opportunity to connect across the world, gain fresh perspectives, and give members of your team a truly global experience. If you are interested or think this could be a good opportunity for you or your employers, or want to learn more, please get in touch... | | | | | | | | | |
If you or your agency have a Thought Piece to share please contact maddie.pluck@thenetworkone.com
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