March 18, 2026  |  SIGN UP

Michael Bürgi
SENIOR EDITOR, MEDIA BUYING AND PLANNING

Having just passed the six-year anniversary of the day (March 13) that the world changed due to the Covid pandemic, it's worth reflecting on just how much the mindsets of the marketing world have adapted.

Before 2020, something as big as a war in the Middle East would have brought about something just short of a recession in the ad marketplace. Clients of all stripes (travel, entertainment, CPG, etc) would have stopped advertising at least in the short term, sending paroxysms of fear shooting across the media seller landscape. 

Today, despite a war with Iran and all its horrible scenarios, escalating  consumer prices and a continued threat of tariffs by the current U.S. administration, the ad marketplace has barely blinked. Business has continued apace. That may change if the conflict and its casualties continue to grow, which seems eminently possible. And it could have an impact on the upfront marketplace, which is due to start beating its drums at the end of this month with the Newfronts.

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