It is fair to say that 2020 was a year that many in marketing and media would very much like to put behind us. After several years of modest market growth, advertising spend in 2020 was down 16% vs 2019. But this overall figure masked how challenging the first half of the year was and how a surge in spend produced a stronger second half of the year. The pandemic has shown how adaptable, collaborative and resilient the advertising sector has been. The resilience and adaptability of the Irish advertising sector should ensure the industry is well set up to meet the opportunities and challenges of 2021.