Before Nov. 8, the big advertising holding companies faced a straightforward, slow-growth future. The business would continue to evolve, and the agencies would continue to adapt by expanding their capabilities, especially in digital media. But the election cast a blanket of doubt on the prospects for the major players.
“To be clear, there was little uncertainty during the campaign,” says Brian Wieser, an analyst at Pivotal Research Group. “Most business observers would not have believed that this outcome was possible. Now there is uncertainty.”