Today’s freelance market has become more crowded and competitive. Many more creatives are choosing to go freelance as a career path, drawn by perks like flexibility and variety. However, a new wave of agency layoffs after restructurings is also pushing more people into independent work, whether they planned for it or not.
New data from workforce platform Assemble, which works with Fortune 500 CMOs and agencies, shows freelancers and contractors now make up between 30% and 70% of marketing teams. Before 2022, that number hovered closer at 10%, and freelancers were largely brought in to plug short-term gaps. Now, companies including Delta, MassMutual, and Colgate are assembling teams of external specialists to work for longer stints across multiple quarters.
This is a structural shift in how creative and marketing teams work, and the line between “freelancer” and “staff” is blurring. Amid this changing market, longtime freelancers and a recruiter shared their advice with ADWEEK for those entering a turbulent space and what it takes to make it work.
Plan for market volatility
The first thing to reckon with is the current reality of the industry.
“The market has slowed down. It’s kind of scary,” said Matt Sorrell, a creative director and former creative director at Wieden+Kennedy.
Zoe Scaman, a strategist and founder of Bodacious, predicted that in 2026, “the work is going to shrink again. The layoffs we’ve seen [at holding companies like Omnicom] are just beginning.”
Scaman’s advice for freelancers is to think about finances first, and to be honest with themselves about whether now is the right time to try this type of work in the ad industry. For those still early or in the middle of their careers, she suggested a rhythm rather than a permanent leap.
“Do it for a year, then go get a [full-time] job for a year. Then go back to freelancing for a year,” she said.
However, signs of stability are emerging. Helen Kimber, co-founder of Creative Connections, a talent firm for the advertising and creative industries, pointed to a rise in fixed-term contracts as agencies shift to project-based work. For freelancers who want more security without going back full-time, those may be worth seeking out, she said.
