Evros Group

TRANSACTION ANNOUNCEMENT: Evros Group served as exclusive financial advisor to toddstreet on its acquisition by The Expo Group.   toddstreet brings its strategic communications, creative, and content expertise to The Expo Group, a portfolio company of New State Capital Partners. Together, the companies will offer a unified experiential marketing platform designed to deepen client relationships, strengthen brand relevance, and accelerate growth.   Congratulations to Todd Street and the entire toddstreet team.   Full announcement in the comments.

𝐁𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐬. But more channels have not always created more control. Today, Evros' Strategic Executive Advisor, David Stern, explores why the next phase of commerce will not be won by brands that simply add more routes to market. It will be won by brands that can orchestrate through one connected commercial operating system. But, what does it look like when a company is approaching connected commerce correctly? From modular creative systems to shared measurement, better agency briefing, and AI-ready product data, this piece outlines what it takes for brands to move from fragmented execution to true connected commerce. 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞: https://lnkd.in/giWCU8n4

Interest in M&A is rising. That does not mean the market is getting easier to navigate. Buyers are capitalized and looking, owners are increasingly open to a transaction, and the bar for earning premium interest is high. Our 2026 M&A Sentiment Survey examines what is driving the divide and what it means for the market ahead. Download the full report: evrosgroup.com/sentiment

AI is not a guaranteed premium in agency M&A. It is a filter. That is one of the clearest findings from our 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 𝗠&𝗔 𝗦𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁. Sellers are highly motivated around AI adoption, but buyers are looking past the narrative. Internal use of AI tools is no longer enough. Buyers want to see evidence that AI is improving delivery, workflow, margin, speed, data advantage, or client outcomes. The businesses gaining buyer confidence are those that can prove AI-enabled advantage, own the data and infrastructure behind that advantage, or operate in categories where human craft and relationships remain difficult to automate. In a more selective market, AI exposure can create risk. AI proof can create value. Dive into this insight and more: https://lnkd.in/gtfcEkmg

𝗘𝘃𝗿𝗼𝘀 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗽'𝘀 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 𝗠&𝗔 𝗦𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲. This year's findings point to a market with strong intent on both sides of the table. Agency owners are increasingly open to a sale, while strategic buyers and financial investors remain active and capitalized. The question isn't whether there's appetite to transact. It's how much of that shared appetite converts, and at what pace. Our research shows buyers are becoming more selective, valuation expectations remain the biggest point of friction, and AI has become an increasingly important factor in how agencies are evaluated. The agencies commanding premium interest in 2026 are those that can demonstrate: + Durable growth + Clear differentiation + Leadership depth + Data, AI, and technology advantage For everyone else, positioning, preparation, and proof matter more than ever. We hope you find this year's report valuable. If the findings resonate with your own experience or strategic priorities, we'd welcome the opportunity to discuss them with you. Access the full report: https://lnkd.in/gtfcEkmg

Creating space for candid conversations is why we host our Agency Leaders Dinner. In Los Angeles, we recently brought together founders and agency leaders following the Ad Age Small Agency Conference for an evening of shared perspectives, honest discussion, and new connections. Leading an independent agency is rewarding and complex, and there's real value in stepping back with peers who are navigating the same things. Some of the best insight comes from one another. Thank you to everyone who joined us and made the night what it was. If you'd like a seat at a future Agency Leaders Dinner, we'd love to connect. 

NEW RELEASE: Dealroom subscribers have early, exclusive access to our 2026 M&A Sentiment Survey, published with ADWEEK. Appetite is not the constraint in this market. Buyers are active, sellers are willing, and how much of that shared appetite converts into closed transactions, and at what pace, remains to be determined. The Dealroom edition includes the full interactive view of the data, cut by buyer type and seller readiness. Whether you sit on the buy side or the sell side of the table, it shows what the market is doing right now and what to be ready for through the back half of the year. This is the first data report published in Dealroom, ADWEEK's new home for the deals shaping marketing and advertising, powered by Evros. If you are not an ADWEEK subscriber yet, we highly recommend subscribing. READ HERE: https://lnkd.in/grCkDEQQ

Bringing the independent agency community together is one of our favorite traditions. Following the Ad Age Small Agency Conference & Awards, we teamed up with LOOP.co and Great Bowery to co-host our annual After Party. A room full of familiar faces, a few new ones, and the people shaping where this industry goes next. Thank you to everyone who came out, and congratulations to everyone making the indie agency landscape what it is. Until next year. 

Great discussions happen when the right people are in the room. This week, Evros partnered with LinkedIn to host another 𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐁2𝐁 𝐀𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 session in San Francisco, bringing together agency leaders for an open conversation on AI, buyer behavior, and the future of agency growth. The discussion reinforced what we're seeing across the market: building a more valuable agency requires more than adopting new technology. It requires investing in trust, expertise, and long-term differentiation. Thank you to everyone who joined us, and to Andreas Roell, Michael Kahn, and our partners at LinkedIn for helping bring the conversation to life.

Last week in Cannes, we had the opportunity to bring together and learn from agency founders, operators, investors, and industry leaders through our partnerships with Google, Untapped Growth, PubMatic, and ADWEEK. Those conversations reinforced many of the themes explored in Andreas Roell's latest blog, reflecting on the signals that mattered most and what they mean for the future of our industry. Read the full reflection: https://lnkd.in/gXrgYfg9