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WORLDWIDE – THE KEY MARKETING TRENDS FOR 2026 ACCORDING TO KANTAR (AND WHY THEY MATTER FOR EVENT PROFESSIONALS)
The AI revolution continues to dominate the conversation, and everyone is trying to understand how it will impact our industry—whether as an opportunity or a threat. Kantar’s latest trends report offers valuable insights, helping us grasp what is shaping up to be a tectonic shift driven by the outsourcing of part of our thinking to AI. Beyond that, it highlights changes that will directly affect everyday work, from the evolution of content marketing to the rise of micro-communities. Here’s a summary, interpreted—as always—through the lens of experiential marketing.
Non-negotiable: the importance of being recommended by AI
According to Kantar, 2026 will see the “emergence of AI agents at scale.” As consumers, we will increasingly rely on AI assistants—micro expert helpers—to guide our purchasing decisions.
Being mentioned in AI-generated recommendations will become absolutely strategic for brands. This requires combining traditional stakeholder marketing (branding, emotional connection, etc.) with relevance for AI systems—what Kantar calls GEO (Generative Engine Optimization), the new evolution of SEO designed to ensure brands appear in AI recommendations.
While search engines showed products and left the decision to users, AI agents—perceived as increasingly understanding us—will recommend products and explain why they are relevant on a personal level. This shift is already underway: 24% of AI users currently rely on AI-powered shopping assistants, a figure expected to grow rapidly. Moreover, 74% of those users consult AI recommendations frequently (daily or weekly).
As a result, brands will need to be fully understood and integrated by AI. Kantar identifies 2026 as the year of GEO, meaning marketing must increasingly generate product explanations, lifestyle fit, use cases, testimonials and tutorials to be considered by AI systems.
Content generation becomes even more critical
Given the growing importance of GEO, it’s no surprise that 61% of CMOs plan to increase investment in content generation in 2026. Content is more important than ever—but content designed for AI, not just for search engines.
For events: events are powerful generators of relevant content. This role will continue to grow, with experiential marketing creativity increasingly focused on content creation beyond the attendee’s live experience. Crucially, this content will need to be designed with AI consumption in mind.
Platforms over one-off actions
Kantar highlights the need to move away from isolated creator-led campaigns toward long-term creative platforms and thematic ecosystems that align brand values with creator-generated content.
For events: experiential marketing can either integrate into these platforms as highly “shareable” moments, or even become the core of the platform itself—for example, through a series of recurring events that connect a brand with a specific territory or theme.
Will “non-AI marketing” (including events) still matter?
“As people increasingly rely on agents to search for products and decide what to buy, brands will need to serve these non-human consumers while continuing to persuade and entertain people through traditional channels.”
The real question is the human side: if AI provides highly personalized, well-argued recommendations, will human preference matter less? This represents a real challenge for experiential marketing, which traditionally influences brand preference.
However, in an increasingly digital world, human connection remains essential. Since the start of the digital revolution, the high-touch nature of events has become a vital counterbalance to high-tech fatigue. Emotional engagement will continue to play a role in decision-making—although the rise of AI as an “ultimate recommender” remains a significant challenge.
Micro-communities as a key marketing driver
Faced with saturated and impersonal spaces, people are gravitating toward micro-communities where they can connect and feel a sense of belonging. This value-based micro-segmentation continues to grow. Authenticity and relevance drive more engagement than sheer reach, meaning brands must offer tangible value and connect authentically with people’s interests. Nearly 40% of consumers trust micro-community recommendations as much as personal ones.
For events: expect more intimate, participatory experiences built around specific niches. The “small is beautiful” trend will intensify, leading to smaller, more personalized and more relevant events.
The culture of small indulgences
The report also highlights the rise of “treat culture” (or “treatonomics”). In a society facing increasing economic pressure, consumers seek small indulgences as a way to regain control and pleasure. 36% of consumers are willing to go into debt for things they enjoy. According to Kantar, the shift of social media toward commerce—where demand is created and fulfilled in seconds—keeps this culture alive.
For events: brands will continue to offer experiences as “treats”—moments of enjoyment, escape and pleasure. Think of delightful experiences, mini moments of luxury, fun and emotional reward. A clear opportunity for experiential marketing.
AI for data understanding and optimization
Kantar also points to AI’s growing role in data analysis. Synthetic data optimization algorithms can now achieve 94–95% accuracy compared to real data. AI will enable near-perfect understanding of audiences, campaign effectiveness and performance, making it essential for targeting, scaling and measuring experiential initiatives.