What developments do you expect within the media industry in 2026?

Milan:
“My crystal ball tells me that 2026 will be the year in which our industry becomes far more intentional about the role of content within the marketing funnel. The traditional marketing funnel is an illusion — we’ve heard that time and again this year. Reality is far more interesting: every consumer chooses their own path through a maze of micro-interactions with your brand. That journey can end at any point with the ultimate goal: conversion. However, this reality also makes life more complex for marketers, as brands must be relevant at every moment in the funnel and across all channels where consumers operate. This realization demands that brands — and our industry — become far more intentional about content, across all channels and at every stage of the funnel.”

What will be the defining trends within advertising?

Milan:
“This is more of a hopeful trend — one I see slowly emerging. There’s growing discussion about what makes strong brands truly strong, and at the core of that is consistency and playing the long game. At the same time, there’s a certain fatigue around endless hype cycles — both within our industry and among consumers, especially in culture and on social media.

Put together, I hope brands will once again dare to make clear choices and act from a rock-solid foundation: who are you, what do you stand for at your core? Measure every trend that comes along against that benchmark. Does it fit your core? In what way, and with what intention? Nothing is more transparent, dull, or cringe than a brand that mindlessly jumps on trends. So alongside trend analysis, my call is this: know who you are, stick to your strategy, execute the trends that fit it brilliantly, and let the rest pass you by.”

How do you see the role of technology, especially AI, evolving in 2026?

Milan:
“AI is everywhere, yet few companies or brands are using it in a structured, intentional way in their daily operations. This creates two extremes: on one side, teams that avoid AI entirely in favor of “pure human creativity,” and on the other, teams that believe AI will replace everything and leave us with only prompt writers.

I expect 2026 to bring a workable middle ground. We’re already seeing agents that genuinely make work easier and add real value. My prediction is that AI will become more organized, more intentional, and more human-controlled, with fewer excesses.”

How do you see the role of ESG objectives in campaigns?

Milan:
“Contributing to a better world should be something we all strive for. But especially when targeting younger audiences, brands must deliver on their claims, keep their promises, and lead by example. Younger consumers won’t take you at face value — and if they discover inconsistencies, trust is hard to regain.

Ideally, brands are driven by intrinsic motivation to contribute to a fairer, more beautiful world. If ESG objectives in campaigns encourage that, I’m all for it, just make sure your story holds up.”

What does your personal daily media mix look like? Has this changed in 2025, and do you expect further change in 2026?

Milan:
“My personal media mix consists largely of podcasts, ranging from political shows and cultural commentary to light-hearted talk formats. In addition, I spend some time on news apps and messaging platforms, and occasionally watch a streaming service in the evening. My podcast consumption has been high for years, but it increased even further over the past year.

In the past year, I watched exactly three live television programs (excluding sports); everything else I watched on demand or via SAVOD services. I suspect this trend will become even more pronounced next year. In 2024, I had an excellent year with my e-reader, but that didn’t quite happen this year, so reading more books is firmly on my list of good intentions.”

What do you wish for the industry in 2026?

Milan:
“From the perspective of what was formerly IPG Mediabrands, we’re entering an incredibly exciting year with the acquisition by Omnicom. I’m very much looking forward to seeing how this unfolds, especially because I strongly believe in collaboration within our industry, something that aligns perfectly with this acquisition.

My idea is that by working together more closely and more effectively, we can create even more impactful work: strategies that deliver for advertisers while keeping the consumer at the center. So let’s seek each other out more often as agencies working for the same advertisers and build greater mutual trust. Within our own agency group, we’re fully committed to this — and I also hope for much stronger collaboration with and between agency groups beyond our own walls.”