In Graphic Detail: What to expect in media in 2026

December 12, 2025 Presented by Though the Christmas party season is just around the corner, CMOs and agency partners are hard at work plotting out budgets and media plans for 2026. Ammunition for next year's best laid plans can be found in a tranche of recent forecasts from WPP, Dentsu, consultancy Madison & Wall and WARC. TOP STORY Strategizing for the Future In Graphic Detail: What to expect in media in 2026 Programmatic mix will broaden, while AI investment will both drive ad investment and steal focus from other marketing priorities. OTHER THINGS TO KNOW First-party data isn't just an asset for brands; it's an asset for every stakeholder in the media landscape. Partner insights from Nexxen. Media buyers today operate several disconnected point solutions, and publishers mirror this complexity. Ad tech unification will take the convergence of two powerful forces: agentic AI’s rise and the discipline of supply path optimization. Partner insights from PubMatic. During the period from late December to mid- or late January, many consumers are still in the buying mindset, and conversion rates remain high. Partner insights from Meta. A MESSAGE FROM CRITEO Make every ad, offer and moment feel like discovery, not noise Shoppers say online shopping can feel dull — uninspired, fragmented and short on surprise and delight. To create richer, more memorable experiences, brands and retailers are upgrading their advertising with commerce intelligence. Lift every shopping moment with AI trained on commerce and built to match every shopper with the right products, right when and where it matters most. Learn more MARKETING Member exclusive Future of Marketing Briefing: AI has created a new talent paradox in programmatic agencies The job isn't execution anymore. AI handles that. The job is judgement. Member exclusive Pitch deck: How Amazon is recasting Twitch as a core part of its CTV pitch Amazon is positioning Twitch as a defining asset in its CTV ambitions. PARTNER INSIGHTS FROM URBAN ONE Why understanding Black cultural influence is a marketing imperative There are untapped growth opportunities for brands that foster authentic, sustained connections with Black audiences through meaningful engagement. Advertisement Brands in Culture Netflix transforms former mall department stores into experiential venues The location in Dallas opens this week, and one at the King of Prussia mall near Philadelphia opened last month. PARTNER INSIGHTS FROM PUBMATIC Why a unified ad tech ecosystem is finally within reach After decades of ad tech fragmentation punctuated by episodic roll-ups, digital advertising has entered a different kind of consolidation phase: one driven by AI and supply path discipline. ICYMI Audio Anywhere The Washington Post debuts AI-personalized podcasts to hook younger listeners The Washington Post has used AI to build a pick-your-own-format news podcast, letting listeners choose the topics, hosts and duration. PARTNER INSIGHTS FROM BLIS Why connected data is the missing piece for impactful outcomes Fragmented approaches lead to duplicated reach and missed signals, with little regard for how each ad shows up in a user's journey. The Programmatic Marketer 'A trader won't need to leave our platform': PMG builds its own CTV buying platform The platform, called Alli Buyer Cloud, sits inside PMG's broader operating system Alli. It’s currently in alpha testing with three clients. FROM DIGIDAY+ Member exclusive Digiday+ Research: Publishers' growing focus on video doesn't translate to social platforms Major publishers have made recent investments in vertical video, but that shift is not carrying over to social media platforms. Written by Jim Cooper and Sara Jerde Were you forwarded this email? Sign up to get it daily. Advertise | Digiday+ | Events | Awards Update your email | Unsubscribe | Privacy policy