Brand has felt like it’s been unfashionable ove the last 5 years or so. Performance marketing was easy to funnel spend into, digital got fancy dashboards and brand was the poor relative.
But that’s all about to change.
According to McKinsey’s State of Marketing 2026 report, European CMOs have finally woken up. Of the 20 most important topics ranked by 500 marketing leaders, branding is number one.
Not Gen AI. Not MarTech stacks. Not influencer ecosystems.
Brand.
And it’s about time.
Why Brand Is Now the Boardroom Priority
For years, marketers have confused accountability with short-termism. The obsession with what can be measured now has come at the cost of what actually creates preference, memory, and margin over time.
But 2026 is the year we return to sanity.
CMOs are seeing that:
- AI has made “good enough” easy to scale, and dangerously easy to copy.
- Economic uncertainty is driving consumers toward trust and emotional safety.
- Only strong, consistent brands offer clarity when markets and messages feel unstable.
Brand is back. Not because it’s nostalgic, but because it’s the only real advantage left.
AI Makes Brand Even More Important, Not Less
Yes, Gen AI is transforming how we do marketing. Content generation, creative exploration, media testing is all accelerating.
But here’s the thing that marketers seem to forget. As technology improves, the fundamentals matter more. AI doesn’t replace brand, it relies on it.
Because when AI mediates search, shortlists, recommendations, and creative outputs, what do those systems amplify?
Brands with:
- Clear meaning
- Strong distinctive codes
- Trustworthy signals
- Emotional resonance
And as McKinsey’s research shows, the 6% of marketers using AI well are already reinvesting their efficiency gains into brand building.
The Three Shifts Behind Brand’s Resurgence
This isn’t a cosmetic change. It’s a strategic one, driven by three clear shifts:
1. Brand Building is Becoming Interactive
We’re moving away from brand as monologue and toward two-way experiences. Think community, co-creation, feedback loops. The brands that win won’t just broadcast, they’ll engage with consistency.
2. Campaigns Are Going Full-Funnel
The days of “this is a brand ad” vs. “this is a performance ad” are over. Marketers are now integrating brand equity building with direct sales triggers. The long and short of it, finally in practice.
3. AI Is Enhancing Creativity, Not Replacing It
Gen AI is being used for creative testing, content ideation, and execution at scale. But without brand guardrails, AI becomes noise. The winners use AI to reinforce brand codes, not dilute them.
And Yes, Brand Still Has to Prove Itself
Just because CMOs now prioritise brand doesn’t mean they get a blank cheque.
McKinsey’s report shows:
- 72% of CMOs plan to increase budgets in 2026.
- Only 3% can prove MROI on more than half their spend.
- Pressure from boards to demonstrate value is at an all time high.
Which is exactly why brand strategy must be rigorous.
- Clear positioning
- Codified distinctive assets
- Category entry points
- Full-funnel measurement
If you’ve done the Mini MBA in Brand Management, you already be aware of the above points.
So in 2026 we will see tools, tech and the environment changing, but the truth remains that:
Brands that are distinctive, consistent, and trusted will always outperform the ones that are merely visible.