Kantar’s EVP of global solutions marketing and thought leadership says consistency is key for CMOs in the year ahead. And if an agency re-pitch was on your list for 2026, she argues it might be worth pausing and reconsidering.
Jane Ostler
CMOs have a lot to contend with in 2026: as well as geopolitical uncertainty and budget challenges, generative AI is developing at speed and the creator behemoth is getting even bigger.
And while some factors are out of our hands, some of the forces that will shape success – or failure – this year are thankfully in our gift. Even as adland reels from mergers and job losses, there’s the positive news that there’s a good chance that the agency you have is the one you should stay with this year.
So, without further ado, here are my three things to watch out for in 2026:
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The next age of AI agents is already here. Google just launched personalized ads to people shopping in AI mode. So, for brands, dialling up their AI visibility strategy in 2026 is non-negotiable.
CMOs will need their brands (and their agents) to actively address these non-human consumers, while continuing to persuade and entertain humans through traditional attention-seeking channels. Product features, service details, guides, experiences and content will need to be widely findable.
Research shows that people have conflicting feelings about AI. They love using it: 81% see meaningful benefits from AI in company products and services, rising to 95% among younger consumers. But they have big reservations about the implications of the tech on society and jobs – 21% going as far as to say AI will eventually destroy humanity. So this will be a delicate balancing act.
The word ‘authenticity’ is heard so often at marketing conferences that it has almost lost its meaning. But in reality, it is now a form of status. Creators make a virtue of their independence and of their creative control over their content. But this does mean that, through working with creators, brands can benefit from their authenticity and cultural relevance.
Keeping the brand at the front and center of creator content will be a skill to master as we barrel headlong into this new era of marketing. Even though net 61% of marketers plan to increase their spend on influencer content next year, many are still figuring out how to use it effectively. Only 27% of creator content clearly links to a brand, but when it does, the impact on brand equity is much stronger, according to Kantar’s Context Lab database.
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Our new analysis of Effie Europe 2025 winners finds that long-term agency relationships are twice as likely to produce award-winning work as work for clients who had been with their agencies for less than a year. When under-pressure clients are demanding immediate gratification, it can be tempting to start fresh when times get tough. But there is a lot to be gained from building trust and allowing time for partners to understand every facet of the brand and how to grow its value. Effies Europe winner ‘Nothing cracks like a Magnum’ was produced by LolaMullenLowe and was the product of an agency-client relationship that has been going on since 2010.
So, for CMOs, the takeaway is to be consistent (and, ideally, be nice to work with). And if you had an agency re-pitch on your list for 2026, it might pay to pause and reconsider.
Kantar
Kantar is the world’s leading marketing data and analytics business and an indispensable brand partner to the world’s top companies. We help brands to shape...