The data’s in: marketing is evolving fast — and top brands are blending AI, data, and creativity to stay ahead. Our 7th Annual Digital Advertising Trends Report reveals how marketers are optimizing channels, video, and measurement to drive stronger performance in 2026.
Built from insights from 450 marketing leaders worldwide, this report highlights how marketers plan to use AI and measurement in 2026 and shape the next wave of digital advertising.
Inside you’ll discover:
- 46% of marketers now use AI to scale creative
- 33% run AI across creative, media, and measurement
- Up to 30% of marketing budgets are wasted, according to most marketers
- How marketers are planning to use video and setting budgets across various digital channels
Highlights at a Glance;
Dive Deeper in the Full Report
The insights on this page only scratch the surface. To uncover detailed benchmarks, global trends, and expert analysis on what it takes to lead in 2026, download the full report today.
Time to Launch is Still the Hidden Bottleneck
Marketers are moving faster, but not fast enough. According to our research with Reach3, nearly 40% of marketers say it still takes three to four weeks to launch a digital campaign from asset creation to execution, while only 15% can go live in under a week.
What’s more telling? Most believe it should take less than half that time. The gap between what marketers expect and what they can actually deliver highlights how workflow friction continues to drain performance long before the first impression is served.
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Ad Waste Remains an Industry Blind Spot
Efficiency might be the new marketing mantra, but it’s not yet a reality. Respondents estimated that an average of 22% of their annual digital marketing spend is wasted on non-performing impressions, incorrect targeting, or bot traffic.
And while the top-performing “Precision-First Marketers” report waste closer to 10%, the majority admit they don’t have a unified view across channels to pinpoint where the waste happens. For many, cross-channel intelligence is still a wish, not a workflow
AI Tools Are Growing Fast, But So Is Overwhelm
Everyone is investing in AI, but adoption isn’t always smooth. More than half of marketers say onboarding a new AI platform takes at least one to two months, and nearly a quarter say it takes longer than three.
Even as 95% of respondents test AI for creative production, 47% still describe their approach as “early experimentation.” The enthusiasm is there, but the operational readiness hasn’t caught up yet, suggesting 2026 will be the year marketers turn from testing to trusting AI.
Marketers Want More Pre-Launch Intelligence
Perhaps the most consistent theme from the raw data: marketers want to predict success before campaigns go live.
When asked what they’d most like to do pre-launch, 44% said they want to use AI predictive models to forecast performance, 39% want AI tools to validate message fit, and one in three wish they could pre-test creative with synthetic audiences.
Originality with AI is the Next Creative Challenge
As AI tools become more common, marketers are growing wary of “sameness.” Three in four respondents said they’re concerned that AI-generated creative risks making brands look and sound the same, and 29% have already seen AI outputs that resemble content from competitors.
The opportunity ahead isn’t just faster creative production, it’s distinctive, brand-authentic creative powered by AI that enhances originality instead of eroding it.
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