5 top marketing trends of 2026 to help brands connect with consumers

Driven by the rapid rise of AI, the continued shift to streaming, and the creator economy, the advertising industry is evolving by the day. But these aren't just industry shifts—they're responses to fundamental changes in how consumers shop and engage with brands.

The traditional linear shopping journey has fundamentally transformed. Nearly 60% of consumers report feeling like they multitask more than they used to, and this always-on culture has reshaped their approach to shopping.¹ Today, 75% of consumers think about shopping multiple times per week, while 59% say they often find themselves getting sidetracked and exploring products they weren't originally seeking.² Consumers are no longer "going shopping"—they're always shopping, constantly discovering brands, researching products, and making purchases across multiple channels simultaneously.

Looking ahead into 2026, five major trends are reshaping how brands connect with audiences—and advertisers are adapting their strategies to stay ahead. From AI-powered creativity to holistic measurement, these shifts represent fundamental transformations in how advertising works, where audiences spend their time, and what drives real business results.

1. AI becomes the creative and strategic engine

AI isn't just making things faster—it's making them fundamentally different. AI marketing spending reached $47.32 billion in 2025 and is projected to exceed $107 billion by 2028.³ But the real story isn't about AI spending, it's about what AI enables: the ability to move quickly from concept to execution, tailor creative at scale, and uncover actionable insights that drive smarter decisions.

The competitive advantage in 2026 won't come from just having AI. It will come from how effectively you integrate it into your creative and strategic processes.

“If [2025] is any measure, the capabilities at the beginning of this year and then towards the end, it was exponential, how the technology and fundamental AI capabilities advanced,” said Alan Moss, Vice President of Global Ad Sales at Amazon Ads. “I think that will continue, and like other parts of our business, this is a year for application and activation of that.”

Brands that leverage AI as a creative partner in addition to an efficiency tool can unlock new possibilities for personalization at scale while maintaining the human creativity that drives authentic connections.

The simplification of complex processes through AI can help brands move faster and smarter. Tools like Creative Agent can concept and execute creative for entire campaigns in hours rather than weeks. Meanwhile, Campaign Manager brings together Amazon's advertising console and Amazon DSP. Powered by AI, Campaign Manager replaces fragmented workflows with a single operational command center that streamlines setup, management, and optimization to save time, improve efficiency, and drive stronger performance.

2. Live commerce and the creator economy transform entertainment into shopping

The line between entertainment and commerce is disappearing. Live commerce is becoming mainstream, combining the entertainment value of real-time content with instant purchasing capabilities. As many as half of all sports viewers will be on streaming by 2026,⁴ creating new opportunities for interactive, shoppable experiences during live events.

Viewers are discovering and purchasing products through livestreams, live sports broadcasts, and interactive video content without ever breaking their flow. This is about transforming entertainment itself into a shopping experience. Amazon Ads Beyond the Buy research reveals that 50% of consumers view entertainment as part of their path to purchase, while 72% have taken consideration actions while engaging with entertainment content—from pausing to look up products to adding items directly to their carts.⁵ When consumers are immersed in content they love, they're not just passively watching—they're actively shopping.

Along with live sports streaming, the creator economy has become an essential part of today’s path to purchase. Creators aren't just influencers anymore—they're content studios, media companies, and cultural tastemakers. U.S. annual creator economy ad spend is projected to rise to $43.9 billion in 2026, an 18% increase from the previous year.⁶ The most successful brands in 2026 will be those that understand how to authentically collaborate with creators rather than simply sponsoring them.

Amazon Live and Twitch enable brands to create shoppable livestreaming experiences where creators and brands feature products and connect with audiences through interactive chat. The shift extends beyond social media—creators are now producing cinematic content, hosting live events, and building devoted fan communities across gaming, music, and entertainment. It’s happening in streaming TV as well. Shop the Show is an interactive second-screen shopping experience that allows Prime Video customers to discover and purchase products directly while watching their favorite shows, movies, and live sports—without interrupting their viewing.

3. Streaming isn’t just another screen—it’s a new way to engage

Streaming now commands 44.8% of all TV viewing—the highest share ever recorded and a 71% increase since 2021.⁷ The fragmentation of video consumption requires a multi-screen strategy that spans premium streaming content, live sports, short-form video, and emerging channels.

But here's what's changing the game: viewers don't just want to watch ads anymore—they want to interact with them. Recent research from Amazon Ads and Publicis Media reveals that 79% of viewers find interactive ads more engaging than standard video ads, while 78% say they're more attention-grabbing.⁸ When viewers can check a price, add to cart, or save for later without leaving what they're watching, interactive ads drive 3-4 percentage point lifts in brand opinion, consideration, and purchase intent.⁹

Prime Video's ad-supported tier now reaches over 315 million monthly viewers globally, while partnerships with premium publishers extend reach across the streaming landscape. Interactive video ads and pause ads enable viewers to engage directly with brands and add products to cart without interrupting their viewing experience. The real opportunity isn't just being present across screens—it's understanding that today's viewers want control over how they engage with content, whether that means pausing to explore a product or interacting during a live moment.

4. The time is now to be seamless everywhere

In 2026, "being everywhere" isn't enough—your brand must be seamless everywhere. Consumers no longer think in channels. They expect unified, consistent experiences whether they're watching streaming TV, scrolling through social media, or shopping online. By 2028, omnichannel retail media spending is expected to surpass 24.4%.¹⁰

Cross-screen touchpoints now guide the entire consumer journey, with mobile, CTV, and in-store media working in synchronized harmony. Omnichannel customers spend 4% more in-store and 10% more online than single-channel customers.¹¹ The challenge isn't just managing multiple channels—it's orchestrating them into a cohesive experience.

Full-Funnel Campaigns from Amazon Ads will enable brands to reach shoppers across the entire journey—from discovery through Prime Video and Twitch to conversion—all within a single offering. When your streaming TV ads, Sponsored Products, and display campaigns work together, your brand feels cohesive rather than fragmented. That consistency helps build trust, reduce friction, and ultimately drive growth.

5. Measurement that shows how everything works together

Today's advertisers face a critical challenge: understanding how marketing tactics work together across the full funnel. When each channel operates in isolation, advertisers can miss how awareness-building efforts influence consideration and how mid-funnel engagement drives conversion.

The most successful advertisers in 2026 move beyond isolated metrics to see how full-funnel tactics interact to drive outcomes. This integrated view eliminates data silos, reveals optimization opportunities, and enables smarter decision-making. When you can see how streaming TV ads influence product searches and how display campaigns support conversion, you can optimize for what matters most.

Amazon Marketing Cloud provides comprehensive measurement capabilities through privacy-safe first-party signals, giving brands a complete view of marketing effectiveness across the customer journey.

What to do next

The advertising landscape in 2026 isn't about choosing between AI and human creativity, between content and commerce, or between reach and relevance. It's about harnessing all of these forces together. The road ahead involves viewing AI as a creative amplifier, live commerce and creators as entertainment revolutionaries, streaming as a premium canvas, omnichannel orchestration as a competitive advantage, and holistic measurement as your strategic compass.

Start by auditing where you stand across these five trends. Identify your biggest gaps. Then prioritize the investments that will help you move faster while staying true to your brand. The future of advertising isn't coming—it's already here, and it rewards the brands bold enough to meet it head-on.

Sources

^{1, 2}Amazon Ads custom research with Strat7 Crowd.DNA. Beyond the Buy. Fielded March 2025 to July 2025. Data reflects AU, BR, CA, DE, ES, FR, IT, JP, MX, U.K., and U.S. aggregated. N=14,000.

³AI Marketing Market Size: Statista, "Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Marketing - Worldwide"

⁴Live Sports Streaming: Streaming Media, "The Six Big Advertising Trends that Will Shape Live Streaming in 2026"

⁵Amazon Ads custom research with Strat7 Crowd.DNA. Beyond the Buy. Fielded March 2025 to July 2025. Data reflects AU, BR, CA, DE, ES, FR, IT, JP, MX, U.K., and U.S. aggregated. N=14,000.

⁶Creator Economy Ad Spend: Influencer Marketing Hub, "The State of Influencer Marketing 2026"

⁷Streaming TV Viewing Share: Nielsen, "The Gauge: Monthly Total TV and Streaming Snapshot"

⁸Interactive Video Ads Research: Amazon Ads and Publicis Media research conducted by Latitude (2025), internal research study

⁹Statista, omnichannel retail media spending, 2025.

^{10, 11}Omnichannel Customer Spending: Guru's Coach, "Omnichannel Statistics: Marketing & Customer Experience"