Looking Ahead: 10 Predictions We’re Watching (and How to be Ready)
Now that 2026 is here, we’re seeing clear shifts in how people consume information, how trust is built (and lost) and how brands earn attention in a world where almost anything can be faked.
Chasing trends is exhausting and less rewarding than a slot machine. The real opportunity is in building a brand foundation that is strong enough to absorb change. When that foundation is in place, business trends are easier to navigate and far easier to turn into growth.
With that in mind, here are the 10 predictions on our 2026 bingo card. Some are unsettling, a few are funny and all are disarmingly honest. For each, we go beyond forecasting to offer practical, actionable guidance so you know what to prepare for, what to ignore and most importantly, what to lean into.
1) AI gets harder to detect – and originality becomes the advantage again
As AI gets smoother, “good enough” will be everywhere, as will content creators with nothing new to say. We’ll miss telltale em dashes and six-fingered models as we strain to weed out what is fake. Brands that find a way to sound unmistakably human with a clear POV will provide the moments that we collectively appreciate.
> Hart move: Use AI for speed, not sameness, by employing your voice.
2) The ego rebrand era cools off – and brand stewardship comes back
The “new CEO, new logo” impulse is losing its shine. Stakeholders are savvy and audiences have no tolerance for a vanity refresh. The best brand work will be so truthful that it won’t need to explain itself.
> Hart move: Pressure-test whether you need a rebrand; perhaps a refresh or repositioning will suffice. Then, only launch if you have buy-in and a stiff upper lip to withstand the firestorm.
3) Every brand wants to be a lifestyle brand – especially the ones without any style
Lifestyle marketing has become so niche that every brand feels emboldened to create a lifestyle even if there isn’t an audience to support it. Seasonal Decor Minimalist Core or Stationary Store Romanticism doesn’t have to exist for a brand to find success.
> Hart move: Define what you stand for (in plain English), then build content and experiences people actually want in their lives.
4) Originality wins in the boring places – and that’s the point
Don’t mistake spectacle for substance. This year, brands will be defined by the everyday stuff: emails, landing pages, onboarding, sales materials, internal comms. Every touch point is an opportunity for personalization, but not every moment has to be an extravagant experience.
> Hart move: Make the whole brand experience unmistakable in its intentionality and usefulness.
5) Streaming gets more ad-supported – and fast forward “mysteriously” stops working
More ads in streaming means one thing: your creative has to earn attention immediately. You don’t have 30 seconds. You have 0.2. And the skip button has no patience.
> Hart move: Build platform-native video that hooks fast, tells the truth and measures what matters (not just views).
6) Second-screen behavior is welcomed – brands anticipate inevitable Google and AI searches
Your campaign on the big screen now serves as a pointer to what people find when they search the little screen. The reviews, headlines, your site and your reputation found on handheld devices have to match the promise made on the big screen during live and streaming events.
> Hart move: Align paid + search + site + PR to capitalize on curiosity.
7) America’s 250th will spark a wave of “heritage” messaging – proceed with care
Many brands will want to celebrate America’s 250th without accidentally stepping into a political debate they could never win. Value-led brands backed by real community action will beat generic flag waving.
> Hart move: Storytelling that conveys nostalgia and core values pulls at heartstrings and protects trust.
8) Micro-influencers keep rising – because credibility beats celebrity
Reach is too easy to rent or fake. Trust is not. Niche creators with loyal audiences will keep outperforming, at least until they fall into the trap of becoming too big to trust.
> Hart move: Build an agile creator program like a real channel: right-fit voices, smart briefs and measurement beyond likes, and adapt it as fast as the audience switches to new creators.
9) We might see a recession – an attention recession
Even if budgets hold, attention won’t. Audiences running their own AI detection radars will become fatigued and cynical. Brands that simplify, focus and show up consistently with honesty and a value-add will stand out.
> Hart move: Pick fewer priorities, execute them exceptionally well and provide utility.
10) PR gets cool again – because AI still needs a source
As synthetic content grows, credibility regains its rightful place. Earned media, original reporting and real expertise will matter more. Bonus: journalists protect their jobs by leaning into what AI can’t do – local, investigative, breaking stories.
> Hart move: Build thought leadership, then integrate PR with paid and owned so credibility spreads and reputation builds.
The overarching theme here is that this year won’t reward brands that try to be everything to everyone. Instead, make your point, then prove it. The formula is that simple, yet also that hard.
If any of this is on your radar for the new year – whether it’s one priority or the whole list – and you’d like a smart, steady partner in your corner, you know where to find us.
