In the 1970s kids were regularly asked to write essays about life in 2000 or 2020 and I totally predicted we’d have flying cars by now! AND that we’d be flying around with jetpacks on our backs.
Waymo and self-driving cars are just not as cool. I am disappointed and doubt the predictive capabilities of not just myself but professionals too. So. I will not make any “predictions for marketing in 2026”.
The World Order Changeth
We are on the brink of going back to imperialism. Countries are engaging in M&A and their companies are benefiting or struggling accordingly.
The word security pops up in a range of contexts – energy, data, data center, cyber, supply chain, food. This is usually backed by a desire to keep all of this as close to you as possible, and guard it. Lowest cost or best quality give way to safest.
Surround branding strategies will have to be rethought as soft power gives way to hard, and countries that were attractive become adversaries. In the midst of geopolitical flux, what is a “good” company will be a moving target for governments, companies and customers. Soft power assumptions will be changing dramatically, influencing branding considerations.
Only people have morals, businesses cannot
My view from way back in 2015! is that companies cannot have a conscience. They do things that they think will help them be seen as a ‘good’ company. Being ‘good’ usually results in a brand premium, hiring premium and hence better shareholder value. It is extremely rare for a company to take a position that will jeopardise any of the above.
If your government says you can’t work with another, you won’t. If your government says that certain people/policies/products are bad, you will need to bypass it. These pronouncements will also impact customer and shareholder opinions.
Hugo Boss, Bosch, Dassault, IKEA are companies that had to make these choices in an earlier era of imperialism. They survived some poor choices and thrived. I’ve written about them earlier.
What about AI?
Frankly, it’s more surprising WHY more companies haven’t reengineered for AI. Yesterday I called my “internet Relationship Manager” – directly from the ICICI banking app. The first person only spoke Hindi. When I complained he transferred me to someone else. This person told me that though he might be my relationship manager, his shift was still 15 minutes away and he could not login to the system, nor could he call me back when his shift started. I just can’t wait for AI to remove this sort of silliness!
But yes, AI is definitely pervasive and will be more so. Just as the internet changed everything, so will AI.
Energy and space to fuel AI will become a critical national resource. Powerful nations who have insufficient quantities of either will help themselves to that of others.
From a jobs-for-humans perspective, imperialism is likely to create new jobs as the great powers may not trade with each other. Each will need their own IT systems, arms, energy technology, mobility tech, energy and so on.
What should marketers do?
1. Monitor your exposure to various countries in terms of surround branding, supply chain, consumers. Gain a nuanced understanding as to what impacts your particular target audience.
2. Do a brainstorming exercise of what your marketing stack would look like if you were rebuilding it in 2026 with NO legacy systems. Someone else will do it if you don’t.
3. Create a separate ecosystem for marketing TO AI. Old-fashioned SEO and comparative shopping only works for humans, sadly. AI engines will aggregate the purchasing power of multiple customers.
4. Focus on building trust in your brands, and trusted channels of communication. Miscommunication and distrust will be rife, easily amplified by the bots.
5. There are many areas where human interactions can deliver a premium – identify and market them. I liked the Inka Insurance ad recently that allowed you to whatsapp the CEO directly. I tried it – and it worked!
In times of change it helps to have shorter timelines for planning and strategy. One day at a time, even, maybe.
My new year reading list has “Wherever you go, there you are” by Jon Kabat Zinn, so I’ll share mindful marketing tips when I get around to reading it 🙂 I read “Man’s Search for Meaning” by Viktor Frankl and When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi over the Christmas break and I’d highly recommend both.
I have gone back to reading physical books. I missed the fellowship that comes from lending and borrowing books, or revealing what you are reading to strangers in a public place.
I wish you all the ability to realize your potential in the most meaningful way for yourself in 2026!