“Predictions are a notoriously tricky business, especially in the current environment: inevitably you end up predicting some things that look obvious in hindsight, and others that look a bit outlandish,” IAB CEO David Cohen said. Nonetheless, 100 advertising and marketing leaders including Cohen took a stab at the assignment and offered up what they see will be the biggest industry shifts and evolutions in 2026.

They range widely—from all the changes that are sure to come with AI, to how PR and social will better align, to how brands will build out campaigns, to how the agency landscape will shift in the wake of mega-mergers and layoffs, and much more.

Bre Rossetti, CSO – Arnold: “As the environment becomes even more fragmented (and as the AI conversation dominates), campaigns will feel short-lived and small. Brands will actively pursue longer-term narratives in worlds that they can build and own. Brand voice will become more important than ever.”

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