It’s the start of 2026 - and the digital marketing and advertising landscape continues to evolve at breakneck speed. But what should brands and marketers expect over the next 12 months? We asked some of Panoply’s executives to give their take and offer a candid look at the forces that will define media strategies in the year ahead.
What are the top shifts you expect to see in 2026?
Aran Rasmussen, Chief Technology Officer: “My hope for 2026 is a dramatic shift toward marketing quality. One of the most impressive campaigns I’ve seen recently was Zohran Mamdani’s NYC mayoral run. Whatever your view on his politics, his team ran a masterclass in modern marketing: short-form video that actually popped on Instagram and TikTok, smart creator collaborations rooted in shared values, and subtle creative signals that showed a deep understanding of the audience. The tone felt honest, human, and empathetic - connecting across age and racial divides - while making it easy for supporters to repeat and spread the message themselves. He didn’t take himself too seriously, but he clearly took people’s problems seriously. That combination is exactly what brands need to master in 2026.”
Forest Kenney, Senior Media Partner - Atlantic Region: “As the OTT landscape continues to evolve - through content acquisitions and merged subscriptions - this creates a powerful opportunity to blend traditional TV audiences with emerging streaming platforms. This excites me especially, particularly because Atlantic Canada has one of the most advanced CTV markets in North America - particularly following Bell’s rollout of live TV ad replacements earlier this year. Location-based digital advertising will also continue to reshape OOH strategies. We’re seeing stronger use of sequencing, where OOH sets up the story and digital channels follow up to deliver the punchline. Finally, streaming audio is driving a resurgence in audio advertising. Smart speakers and dynamic ad insertion are bringing audio back into the home, complementing in-car listening while extending reach into podcasts and even live-radio replacement environments.”
Bobby Destounis, President and Co-Founder: “Media strategy is becoming less about scale and more about intention. Brands are moving toward right-sized approaches, focusing on the markets, audiences, and moments that actually drive growth - not just reach. The long-standing divide between brand and performance is fading, replaced by integrated strategies designed to build connection and deliver results at the same time. At the same time, AI is settling into its proper role: a powerful enabler of speed and efficiency, but not a substitute for strong ideas or human insight. We’re also seeing renewed momentum in local and regional media. In a landscape dominated by automation, relevance, proximity, and context are proving more effective than generic, algorithm-driven reach - especially in Tier 2 and Tier 3 markets. Finally, effectiveness is back at the center of the conversation. Not just ROAS, but meaningful impact: attention, memorability, and long-term business value. In 2026, the brands that will stand out won’t be the ones chasing every new trend, but those making deliberate, human, and business-driven media choices.”
What audience behaviours or platform dynamics will force the biggest changes in 2026?
Forest: “Premium platforms with strong first-party data will continue to rise to the forefront. While CPMs may be higher in some cases, there’s often a clear correlation between cost and performance. That doesn’t mean low-cost mass reach has no role, but brands should be thinking carefully about how premium, data-driven environments can amplify and strengthen their overall campaign performance.”
Bobby: “By 2026, the biggest disruption won’t come from a single new platform or format - it will come from how fragmented, fatigued, and disoriented audiences have become. Consumers are spending more time than ever in doom-scrolling environments, where attention is shallow, emotions are heightened, and brand messages are easily ignored or forgotten. At the same time, the decline of linear TV continues to erode the role video advertising once played in building shared cultural moments at scale. Search behaviour is also fundamentally changing. The result? Audiences are harder to reach, harder to influence, and far less predictable - and many brands are struggling to adapt. As platforms fragment and automation increases, human clarity becomes the differentiator. Brands don’t need to shout louder — they need to be more intentional, more coherent, and more useful in how they show up.
Aran: “Traditional search will continue to decline. LLM-powered search will grow. CTV will keep displacing broadcast TV. Spotify will keep eating radio. Digital OOH will keep exploding until every surface is a Red Bull ad. As Twisted Sister said in 1983: you can’t stop rock ’n’ roll. But here’s the real tension: consumers are torn. We don’t want brands wasting our time (“why am I seeing an ad for something I already bought?”), but we also don’t want to feel surveilled (“why am I seeing an ad for something I only realized I wanted an hour ago?”). If that balance tips too far toward surveillance, consumers will push back - using VPNs, switching to dumb phones, opting out of loyalty programs, or paying with cash.”
What client challenges do you expect to intensify - or possibly be solved - in 2026?
Aran: “How do you stand out in a constant barrage of messaging? This challenge gets harder every year, and the industry as a whole will never solve it. Attention is finite. But individual brands will continue to break through in unique ways. What makes this especially challenging - and fun - is that in a global, connected media landscape, you can’t simply copy what worked for someone else. Every new tactic depreciates quickly. The brands that win will be the ones that keep evolving their creative, not chasing last year’s playbook.”
Forest: “The U.S. trade situation will continue to force adaptations for many businesses, particularly those that may need to focus more heavily on inter-provincial audiences. Tourism partners are especially impacted, but there’s also a strong tailwind: consumers increasingly looking to replace south-of-the-border trips with domestic travel. Brands that adjust quickly will be well positioned to benefit.”
Bobby: “In 2026, client pressure won’t ease - it will simply shift. Challenges around complexity, fragmentation, and speed will continue to intensify. Clients will feel increasing strain from too many platforms, too many signals, and too much automation, often without a clear sense of what’s actually driving growth. Measurement fatigue and decision paralysis will remain real issues. At the same time, some long-standing challenges may finally start to ease. The industry is moving past the obsession with isolated metrics and toward clearer definitions of effectiveness. Clients are becoming more open to fewer, better KPIs — and to partners who help them prioritize impact over activity. The biggest shift? A growing desire for clarity and confidence. In 2026, the most valued partners won’t be the ones offering more tools or tactics, but those helping clients simplify decisions, focus on what matters, and turn complexity into clear, actionable strategy."
What’s one “be ready for this in 2026” piece of advice?
Bobby: “Be ready to simplify. In 2026, the brands that move fastest will be the ones willing to do less, choose more deliberately, and focus on what actually drives impact. Clarity will be a competitive advantage.”
Forest: “Be ready to pivot. Few could have predicted the level of disruption in 2025, from supply-chain challenges to rapid shifts in consumer behaviour. As we move into 2026, more volatility is likely. Brands need playbooks that include both defensive and offensive strategies - and the ability to adapt quickly so they’re not left behind.”
Aran: “Authenticity and humanity are becoming scarce resources. Consumer skepticism is accelerating, and soon everyone will assume everything is an AI deepfake. That creates a real problem for marketers: the more polished and professional your message looks, the less people trust it. The solution is intentionally raw, human storytelling. Think of the difference between a Taylor Swift album (perfect, polished, lower trust) and a Taylor Swift live show (still polished, imperfect, higher trust). Live events, behind-the-scenes content, localized activations, and fan-created stories will matter more than ever. Brands can then repurpose that content across platforms to build trust. More broadly, consumers are craving human connection. Many are lonely, tired, and overwhelmed - and AI isn’t going to fix that. Brands that convincingly show they’re part of the solution will win. That means thinking beyond what the message is to how and when it’s received.”
Are you ready to maximize your media strategy in 2026? Let’s talk.
