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Last week, because we were feeling half fierce, half sad, and half frustrated by what’s prosaically known as The Present Circumstances, we decided to throw down on 2026.

Okay, I know that calling out a year, especially one only a few days young, might not be the wisest of moves.

After all, at that point, the damn year had another 350-something ticks left to make life miserable.  

Of which, based on what’s been going down ever since the ball fell in Times Square, either a few weeks or a few lifetimes ago, it’s already proven more than capable.

Still, we thought it was worth putting a measure of truth and/or dare out there for those inclined to pick up the tossed gauntlet and do something more than vapidly stare at it.

Starting with ourselves. 

Mostly because we think that the only way to avoid 2026 following in the footsteps of its not-at-all-dearly-departed elder brother, at least in the ad industry, is for creatives to realize the only way we get back to business-as-meaningful is to take stock, take responsibility, and take action.

The Present Circumstances suggests shit sandwich is the only item on the menu.

We beg to differ: https://www.thereductionist.biz/blog/the-only-sure-way