Marketing landscape for 2026, based on a recent Forrester report.

Written By Shahad Sipahi

Disclaimer: These insights aren’t my own predictions—they’re drawn from Forrester’s “Predictions 2026: B2C Marketing” report, which surveyed industry execs and collected data throughout the year.

Overall, the vibe is that 2026 is shaping up to be a tougher and more volatile year than 2025, with over half of marketing leaders bracing for tighter budgets and smaller teams.

Here are the biggest takeaways:

1. Loyalty Will Be Tested by Price
For consumers, low price remains a top priority. Forrester predicts that coming price hikes could cause up to a third of consumers to switch brands for a better deal. While a segment (about 37% of U.S. adults) will pay more for brands they love, the majority need more than just brand affinity to stay. The lesson here? Exceptional, personalized customer experience is going to be the key to retention.

2. The Measurement Crisis Deepens
Marketers' confidence in measuring their own impact is expected to drop by 7%. Even though confidence is high now, concerns about data transparency—especially as AI gets more involved—are going to erode that trust. The report also notes that the politicization of economic data will make this even messier.

3. AI’s Complications Come to a Head
The AI hype will meet reality in 2026, and some significant headaches are expected:

  • Privacy & Legal Risks: AI-driven data breaches are predicted to increase class-action lawsuits by 20%.

  • Implementation Gaps: Only 37% of employees feel confident adapting AI systems for work, which will slow down the adoption of more autonomous "agentic" AI.

  • Vendor Promises: The market will be flooded with new AI-native marketing tools (Forrester predicts three major ones), so careful evaluation against real needs and values is crucial. The human element, as always, remains irreplaceable.

The Bottom Line:
It’s a year to expect volatility, defend loyalty through experience, scrutinize measurement data, and approach AI with a clear strategy—not just excitement.

Shahad Sipahi