"If carefully channeled chaos and stunt marketing defined 2025, what will 2026 usher in? Inc. put that question to three of the most entrepreneurially minded chief marketing officers, whose work leading branding, product launches, partnerships, and collaborations for fast-growing companies landed them on our annual Best in Business list, and asked for their predictions about where marketing is headed in the new year. Here's what they said."
"A return to sincerity For Krista Dalton, chief marketing officer and chief digital officer of the cowboy boot brand Tecovas, storytelling will be key, and she says the stories that brands tell will feel a lot more earnest and genuine than they have in the past. "The ironic viewpoint of marketing of the 2010s is turning into people wanting a true connection," she says. "I expect a lot of emotional Super Bowl ads this year instead of the joke-heavy content of three years ago.""
Marketing in 2025 leaned into stunts and provocative moments, from Duolingo killing and reviving its mascot to brands selling unexpected products and performing public demonstrations. Prominent firms used shock and spectacle to capture attention, flooding public spaces and social channels with attention-grabbing activations. Looking to 2026, chief marketing officers predict a pivot toward sincerity, with storytelling that feels earnest and emotionally resonant. Brands are expected to favor authentic, less-curated lo-fi content and emotional creative work, moving away from heavily ironic or joke-driven approaches toward campaigns that foster true connection with consumers.
Read at Inc
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