From experimentation to execution: the marketing shifts shaping 2026 so far

AI is already embedded in how many organisations work. It shapes tools, content creation and daily workflows. At the same time, digital customer journeys are becoming longer and less visible, and expectations around authenticity are rising as audiences grow more sceptical of overly polished communication. 

In this edition of Thoughts on Tap, Comprend’s Director of Competence and Insights, Mira Mäkiranta, reflects on the forces shaping digital marketing in 2026 – and why the brands that succeed will be those that move from experimentation to disciplined execution.

AI is becoming part of the operating model

Most organisations already recognise that AI can improve efficiency. So the debate about whether the technology is useful has largely passed. The more important question now is whether organisations are prepared to rethink how work actually gets done and about structuring processes. To this end, many organisations are beginning to move towards connected workflows where specialised AI agents handle repeatable, rule-based tasks. The processes are mapped and routines that can be standardised, identified. Then AI systems take on those operational activities, freeing people to focus on creativity, judgement and orchestration.

The same shift is happening in content. Content repositories are evolving beyond passive storage into intelligent content hubs that help plan, create, deploy and optimise content at scale. When material is structured, tagged and reusable, production speeds increase, approvals move faster and brand consistency becomes easier to maintain across markets.

Machine readability too is becoming a fundamental requirement. Content needs to be structured, purposeful and continuously updated so that generative engines can interpret, cite and recombine it. Without this structure, even high-quality content risks being overlooked in AI-driven environments. So the organisations seeing the greatest benefit from AI are not those producing the largest volume of content, but those building the strongest structure around it. 

Customer journeys are becoming longer and harder to see

Digital interaction is now the default starting point for most buying journeys. In many B2B environments, buyers are well into their decision process before engaging directly with a vendor. Often, the company they contact first ultimately wins the deal. This means influence happens long before organisations are aware of it.

At the same time, the number of interactions required to reach a buying decision has increased significantly. What used to be a relatively linear journey now involves dozens of touchpoints and multiple stakeholders. So the funnel has not disappeared, but it has expanded into something far more complex.

Another complication is that exposure increasingly occurs outside owned channels. Buyers encounter brands through feeds, zero-click search results, AI-generated summaries and community discussions. Much of this activity happens within what marketers often refer to as the dark funnel, where interactions are difficult to track but still highly influential. If an organisation is not visible and distinctive in these environments, someone else will shape the conversation.

This is one reason brand investment is regaining urgency. Not as an aesthetic exercise, but as a multiplier. Strong brands improve recognition, trust and recall long before formal engagement begins.

The traditional divide between brand building and performance marketing is becoming increasingly difficult to defend. As journeys become more fragmented and less visible, clarity and consistency in communication become even more important.

Authenticity is becoming an operational requirement

The rapid rise of AI-generated content is also changing audience expectations. Many people, particularly younger audiences, are increasingly drawn to communication that feels transparent and human rather than overly polished. Authenticity itself is not new, but the consequences of getting it wrong are becoming more significant. Authenticity therefore becomes more than positioning. It becomes operational and governance is gradually becoming part of brand management.

Organisations are beginning to address this through:

• clear policies on how AI tools are used
• transparent disclosure when generative systems contribute to content
• defined guardrails around imagery and representation
• human oversight embedded in creative and decision-making processes

Although regulation surrounding AI is still evolving, the absence of detailed rules does not reduce responsibility. In many cases it increases it.

There is also a defensive dimension. AI-assisted content creation lowers barriers not only for marketers but also for copycats. Trademark infringement, impersonation sites and brand dilution are becoming more common risks.

In this environment, trust is not only emotional. It must also be built into processes and systems.

The underlying requirement: discipline

Across AI adoption, evolving customer journeys and rising expectations around authenticity, one theme connects these developments: discipline.

Organisations need the discipline to redesign workflows before chasing new tools, to structure content so it works for both humans and machines, and to maintain brand investment even when short-term performance pressures increase.

They also need the discipline to establish clear boundaries around AI usage before problems arise, and to protect their brand legally and ethically as the digital landscape becomes more complex.

Technology will continue to accelerate. Customer journeys will continue to evolve. Expectations around transparency and accountability will continue to rise.In this environment, success will depend less on experimentation alone and more on execution.

For digital marketing, AI is quickly becoming a standard capability rather than a competitive advantage. The real differentiator will be how effectively organisations integrate it into the way they work. Execution, not access to technology, is what will set successful brands apart.