Unpacking the marketing industry trends forecast for 2026

Marketers must remain resilient as they navigate ongoing challenges, including an uncertain economic backdrop and the advancement of AI.

By Marketing Dive staff • Jan. 29, 2026

Optimizing your media mix for 2026

What 2025 media investment trends reveal about where brands should spend in 2026.

By Justin Jefferson, VP, Strategy & Insights • Jan. 26, 2026

Explore the Trendline➔

Top 5 stories from Marketing Dive

From the continued rise of artificial intelligence to the emergence of new digital channels, here's a look at key trends driving marketing in 2026.

By Marketing Dive staff

P&G prioritizes data, AI to tackle fragmented ‘new media reality’

As it looks to deliver sharper marketing and capitalize on channels like retail media, the CPG giant is emphasizing data as an industry advantage. 

By Peter Adams • Jan. 23, 2026

AI has changed holiday shopping: Here’s what the numbers say

AI-driven traffic in the retail industry surged 693% year over year in November and December, according to new data from Adobe.

By Sara Karlovitch • Jan. 23, 2026

Netflix targets $3B in ad revenue while Warner Bros. deal looms

Discussing the planned $83 billion acquisition, executives pointed to the rising threat of YouTube for advertising and subscription dollars.

By Peter Adams • Jan. 21, 2026

How brands can assert control as AI rewrites advertising’s playbook

As promises of one-stop, AI-powered solutions proliferate, marketers will need to navigate the changed ecosystem and separate reality from hype.

By Chris Kelly • Jan. 20, 2026

AI is accelerating measurement theater and creating ‘ghost ships’

“Ghost ships” are technically flawless models that never influence real decisions — WPP Media’s Jeffrey Kennedy explains how to avoid them.

By Jeffrey Kennedy • Jan. 15, 2026

How Macy’s Media Network navigates complex ‘coopetition’ with Amazon

The platform, among the first major retail media networks to pilot Amazon’s Retail Ad Service, has drawn in 175 new brands since August. 

By Peter Adams • Jan. 14, 2026

Streaming widens sports marketing field: Here’s what the numbers say

Airing games across both linear and streaming platforms can help boost performance, according to Nielsen data.

By Sara Karlovitch • Jan. 9, 2026

Instacart unveils clean room solution in latest bid to CPG advertisers

Data Hub provides deeper insights into first-party grocery shopping data and customer behaviors, including lifetime value and repurchase frequency.

By Aaron Baar • Jan. 8, 2026

PubMatic debuts agentic platform to address programmatic’s AI headaches

AgenticOS is intended to cut down time spent on campaign setup and troubleshooting while freeing up focus for more high-level strategy. 

By Peter Adams • Jan. 5, 2026

Nielsen, Roku deepen data-sharing pact to enhance streaming measurement

As part of the agreement, Nielsen will continue to receive support for offerings like Big Data + Panel while Roku gains access to streaming TV ratings.

By Peter Adams • Dec. 23, 2025

Horizon introduces open ad tech partnership network

Tropical Smoothie Cafe and Orkin have already begun using the platform, which features partners including ID5, Kargo, The Trade Desk and others.

By Aaron Baar • Dec. 22, 2025

Inside Walmart Connect as retail media, CTV convergence accelerates

Scale, investment in measurement solutions and newfound connected TV prowess is turning the retailer into an advertising powerhouse.

By Chris Kelly • Dec. 18, 2025

Magnum Ice Cream Company names Publicis media AOR, with AI in focus

The standalone business, freshly spun off from Unilever, plans to leverage the agency to anticipate rising consumer trends and cultural moments. 

By Peter Adams • Dec. 17, 2025

Nielsen’s data-backed panel currency is ‘unstable, unpredictable’: VAB

The measurement giant has strenuously denied the allegations, calling the report about its Big Data + Panel offering “seriously flawed and manipulated.”

By Chris Kelly • Dec. 16, 2025

WPP Media enriches influencer offering with YouTube creator data deal

The Goat Agency, which WPP acquired in 2023, is among the first partners to directly integrate a new API for creator matchmaking and campaign delivery.

By Peter Adams • Dec. 15, 2025

Is your brand overlooking the value of convenience retail media?

Every day, millions of Americans stop to fuel up their cars—grabbing coffee, snacks or essentials on the go.

Dec. 15, 2025

The Black Friday trends that will shape retail strategy in 2026

Holiday shopping has become a multi-week value season. Here’s what retailers should learn from 2025.

By The Talon.One team • Dec. 15, 2025

Pinterest expands into CTV advertising with TvScientific acquisition

This is the first time Pinterest has wedded its intent-based audience data with a CTV engine, pointing to the growing importance of cross-screen capabilities. 

By Peter Adams • Dec. 12, 2025

Will 2026 be more volatile for marketing? Here’s what the numbers say

Up to one-third of consumers will leave brands for cheaper options as they continue to feel an economic pinch, according to Forrester.

By Sara Karlovitch • Dec. 12, 2025

Advertising growth resilient in face of tariff, AI disruption: report

WPP Media revised its full-year revenue projections upward by over two percentage points as areas like retail media and gaming attract investment.

By Peter Adams • Dec. 8, 2025

Activating the long tail: a digital-first strategy for SMB customer acquisition

Digital-first customer hubs show how SMBs can fuel faster growth when data and action connect.

By Kunal Shah, Kajal Narasimha and Mrugesh Agarwala • Dec. 8, 2025

Consumers in 2026 will be full of paradoxes, predicts Dentsu

As consumers increasingly turn to AI, there has been a resurgence of interest in traditional values and living.

By Sara Karlovitch • Dec. 4, 2025

Omnicom outlines new agency structure as IPG deal sharpens AI, data focus

The newly combined network is built around six capability-based divisions and will retire legacy creative brands MullenLowe, FCB and DDB.

By Peter Adams • Dec. 1, 2025