As 2026 approaches, it’s the perfect time to look ahead and prepare for what’s next in the dynamic world of marketing. With so much change on the horizon, building a strong strategy can feel overwhelming. That’s why we’ve tapped our team of specialists to highlight the trends and insights that could make the biggest difference for brands in the coming year. Here are our top marketing predictions to guide your planning for a successful 2026.
More In-Person Moments of Connection Through Research
One unexpected shift on the 2026 horizon? A resurgence of in-person market research. “Before conducting market research interviews online became the norm (also known as ROTI—research on the internet), they were conducted, believe it or not, door to door. Then we moved to phone surveys and in-person intercepts (often conducted in shopping malls),” says our vice president of insights, Claire Mazzeo- Gnau.
While synthetic research powered by AI will absolutely scale in the years ahead, enabling researchers to model “synthetic users” at lightning speed, we’re also seeing a counter-movement take shape. Brands are craving real human nuance again—tonality, body language, the unfiltered reactions you can’t replicate in a text box. In 2026, expect a renewed appetite for live focus groups, phone conversations and yes, even in-person intercepts, as marketers look to balance AI-driven efficiency with the irreplaceable insight that comes from sitting across from an actual human.
The Future Is Man + Machine
In 2026, we expect a continuous domination of AI in our industry. From AI agents that can take over and sharpen the starting line for the unglamorous work like drafting briefs, organizing inputs and building plans to an acceleration in AI-generated creative, moving at a faster pace may feel like a gift for organizations.
The problem then becomes that “polished by default” can make everyone complacent. When AI hands you a clean narrative with charts and bullet points, it’s incredibly easy to nod, circulate and move on. As ubiquitous as AI has become in our daily lives, its usage doesn’t automatically guarantee quality or originality. LLMs naturally favor safe, predictable outputs because they’re trained on patterns and dominant norms in the data. That’s the risk the humans take: work that looks correct gets approved simply because it’s presented well. “Strategy doesn’t disappear because AI takes it over—it disappears because people stop questioning the obvious answer,” says Dan Martin, our brand group director. The real advantage won’t come from having the flashiest AI stack but from having people who know how to interrogate it—pushing back, breaking assumptions and demanding something beyond the obvious.
The same tension shows up in creativity. AI is a great tool for production, but we will see a raised appreciation for human creativity. “AI can accelerate production, but it can’t invent meaning, cultural relevance or emotional resonance on its own. That spark—the insight, the emotional hook, the unexpected twist—still comes from people,” says Kevin Longino, executive creative director. The future isn’t man vs. machine; it’s man + machine—where human originality and strategy turn AI from a shortcut into a launchpad for ideas that actually matter.
Cookies and First-Party Personalization
Google’s decision to cancel third-party cookie deprecation in Chrome removed what many expected to be a big shift in the industry; however, its opt-in approach to third-party tracking continues the underlying measurement problem. Safari and Firefox still block third-party cookies by default, and consumers increasingly opt out of tracking when given the choice. Ad platform-reported metrics often conflict with actual revenue, cross-channel attribution remains fragmented and the signals that once powered lookalike audiences and retargeting are degrading whether cookies exist or not.
In 2026, first-party and zero-party data collection—with explicit, transparent consent—should be a core strategy for brands, if it’s not already. “Brands that built robust first-party data strategies during the deprecation panic are now outperforming those who relaxed when the deadline disappeared,” says David Byrne, associate media director.
Evolutions with AI require rethinking attribution entirely—moving from granular, click-level tracking toward incrementality testing, media mix modeling and signals that can be fed back into platform bidding and optimization algorithms. The third-party cookie may have survived, but the measurement playbook it enabled is still fading.
Marketing Mix Modeling Will Continue to Regain Prominence
“Marketing mix modeling (MMM) will continue to regain its place as the standard measurement for marketing impact,” says Frank Vanderwall, director of marketing science. As AI makes it even more affordable and applicable to a broader array of companies, expect stronger guidance from trade groups on inputs, retraining cadence and integrating MMM with attribution/experimentation. Out-of-the-box AI solutions will be appealing due to price point and ease of use; however, they will ultimately fail to deliver accurate actionable insights. This will lead to frustration and ultimately a return to reliance on modeling experts.
The good news is those experts will be able to leverage AI to run models more economically, growing the adoption of MMM among more mid-sized marketers.
Social Media Fueled Purchase Power
Social media has fully evolved away from friends and family status updates to be a powerhouse for entertainment, shopping and learning—and AI is accelerating this transformation. Interest-based feeds are personalized with hyper-relevant content, turning TikTok and Instagram into discovery engines where people research and purchase. Generative AI is fueling entertainment, from AI-created video and music to virtual influencers. Social commerce projections are placing the global market growth in 2025 at around $800 billion to over $1 trillion, reflecting strong double-digit percentage increases (around 15-20% annually) driven by Gen Z/millennial engagement.
“2026 will likely see more seamless AI recommendations and purchasing options for the most frictionless process possible to drive that growth,” predicts Amanda Broderick, director of PR, social media and content.
PR Builds the Authority Machines Rely On
The last decade of PR was about earning space in crowded news and social feeds. “In 2026, it’s about being the source AI agents quote,” says Ginny Rico, director of PR, social media and content. More than 80% of links cited by AI engines now originate from earned media*, making PR the new battleground for brand visibility. The fundamentals remain, but new rules apply:
- PR writing shifts to natural, Q&A-style phrasing that matches how people and machines ask questions.
- Personal relationships with journalists become a strategic edge as AI tools filter pitches.
- Outreach expands to target analyst briefs, newsletters and forums—channels AI engines treat as trusted sources.
In 2026, brands that earn trusted citations shape the answers AI delivers.
*(Muck Rack, 2025)
Curious to partner with a team that knows how to activate one of these marketing predictions? Hiebing can help. Email Nate Tredinnick at ntredinnick@hiebing.com to set up a call.