Consumer cohorts are changing. The ‘Escape Economy’ could soon be worth $1 trillion. The tension between reach and authenticity could come to a head in 2026.
WARC recently revealed five critical trends set to disrupt global marketing practices and reshape brand strategies in the year ahead in their The Marketer's Toolkit 2026.
Aditya Kishore, insight director, WARC, says: “Going into 2026, the only certainty is that there will be uncertainty. Unpredictable tariffs, geopolitical threats, and economic instability are impacting consumer spending, lifestyles and ambitions. Our survey found marketer optimism is down 11 points from last year, with 54% of marketers saying they expect things to be better next year, versus 65% surveyed in 2024. But understanding consumer shifts and how to adapt quickly to cater to them could create new opportunities for brands in 2026.
The report, now in its 15th year, is based on WARC’s proprietary GEISTE methodology and surveys 1,000-plus marketers worldwide to make sense of a world that’s rapidly and constantly changing.
Here are the five trends that will shape global marketing strategies next year.
The creator gamble
Three in five marketers (61%) plan to increase their investment in influencer/creator marketing in 2026 but creator ROI suffers from high levels of volatility. CreativeX analysis shows 45% of creator ad spend on Meta is wasted through poor creative practices, while Kantar research finds just 27% of creator content effectively links to sponsoring brands. The tension between reach, control and authenticity is likely to come to a head in 2026.
Marketers are advised to ensure the marketing organisation is aligned on creator goals such as KPIs and measurement techniques. Paid media formats, creative best practices, and media planning remain vital to amplify creator success.
The vanishing middle
Three out of four marketers (73%) agree that the term ‘middle-class’ is becoming meaningless, with wide variances seen across wealth, income and attitudes towards spending. Driven by sluggish incomes, surging lifestyle costs and plunging job security, the middle class increasingly bifurcates its spending towards the high- or low-end of the market.
The toolkit recommends that marketers navigate these disappearing lines by identifying cohort-orientated strategies to drive growth, from affluent boomers to younger audiences, adapting to their purchase priorities. Tapping into cultural and ideological values will build emotional connections that will help to sustain demand even in challenging categories.
The reset of consumer milestones
Nearly six in ten marketers (59%) said segmentation schemes based on age, income, social class and family structures are not really effective anymore, while 57% said traditional family structures and gender roles have changed dramatically, and 58% are seeing more childless families.
The change in household units is altering established spending triggers, putting the onus on brands to re-evaluate typical category entry points for their customers.
Marketers are advised to challenge established assumptions and ideas on consumer spending milestones using behavioural economics as a guide. The WARC toolkit also recommends that marketers build flexibility into brand platforms in order to be relevant to consumers entering a brand category at new moments and in response to different spend triggers.
The zero-click customer journey
Only one in nine marketers (11%) is “not particularly worried” about the impact of AI on search; most are working on AI search strategies, with 24% shifting from SEO (Search engine optimisation) to GEO (Generative engine optimisation).
While artificial intelligence (AI) is gaining influence across the customer journey, from search to agentic commerce, people and AI engines will both still rely on brand cues to make choices.
WARC advises marketers to focus AI tests on understanding measurable and clearly defined effects on customer journeys, and to invest in what is proven to work as customer uptake is inconsistent and results are unproven.
The great escape
In a world weighed down by polycrisis – declining life satisfaction, increased mental health and burnout – consumers are seeking an escape. Research shows that in high-anxiety periods, advertising that emphasises unity, stability or positivity performs significantly better. By creating emotionally immersive experiences, escapist marketing helps brands become rare sanctuaries of respite. McCann Worldgroup projects that the ‘Escape Economy’ will reach $13.9 trillion by 2028.
Marketers are advised to invest in opportunities for consumers to engage and interact with the brand rather than simply maximising impressions. Counter enshittification by connecting with consumers in digital communities and in real life (IRL) environments they find invigorating through partnerships, by sponsoring rituals and co-creating activations that add value, the toolkit said.
