首席营销官展望：2026年指南

Executive summary CMO Outlook:Guide to 2026 About this report NIQ’sCMO Outlook: Guide to 2026is your roadmap to understanding—and overcoming—the critical challenges facing today’s CMOs andmarketing leaders. The report is drawn from our annual survey of (andone-on-one conversations with) more than 250 CMOs and seniormarketing decision-makers from influential companies across regions, Amid uncertainty, new emerging challenges CMOs are contending with a fresh wave of uncertainty, punctuated byshifting trade policies, geopolitical unrest, and the looming threat of an At the same time, new challenges are rising to the top of the CMO agenda: • Ever-cautious consumers aremore selective and demanding ofbrands—putting pressure on organizations to provide value, trust, •Investment in retail media networks and other digital channels issurging,compounding pressure to integrate fragmented data sources •CMOs report mounting expectations from CEOs and chief financialofficers (CFOs) toarticulate an artificial intelligence (AI) strategy— Marketing leaders find themselves at the center of these forces,tasked with delivering results when expectations are high andresources are tight. Rising to the challenge? Every marketing dollar is now under the microscope.With organizationsseeking cost reductions and marketing budgets often in the crosshairs forcuts, CMOs are in the critical position of demonstrating their strategic valuein driving awareness and growth while delivering lasting brand loyalty. They Drawing on insights from survey responses and qualitative interviews,we found thatmarketing leaders are navigating a landscape fullof contradictions. •CMOs are confident but have little margin for error.Despiteheadwinds, CMOs say they are optimistic about growth. But withpervasive budget reductions, their confidence is tempered by amandate from peers and senior leaders to make every dollar count— • CMOs have no shortage of data but lack full connectivity. The proliferation of media channels has created unprecedentedopportunities to engage with consumers, but walled gardens, privacyregulations, and disconnected platforms have exacerbated data • CMOs are confronting a growing tension: Defend and grow brandposition or seek the most efficient conversion.With consumersdemanding more value and private label pressure increasing, it hasnever been more important for brands to defend their premium • CMOs must prove they’re AI innovators—when the technologyhas been in their stacks for years.AI has long been quietly poweringmarketing optimization, targeting, and automation. But CMOs are nowunder increased pressure to demonstrate usage and impact. The nextfrontier isn’t AI adoption per se; it’s making strategic investments in AI Barriers to brilliance: Top challenges marketing teams face Charting the course ahead The days of “good enough” in marketing are over: Vanity metrics and gut-driven decisions are no longer passable, andbudgets hang in the balance as CMOs are being challenged to dig deeper into the data, balance short-term wins withlong-term growth, and embrace emerging technologies in their day-to-day operations. Despite these shifts, there are signs of resiliency: CMOs are confident (for now) in their established brand equity, theirmarketing teams are slowly adopting more sophisticated tech and analytics capabilities, and their three-year outlookon growth remains optimistic. To win in 2026, brands must accept that disruption and complexity are no longer exceptions but rather,part of the new operating environment—and respond accordingly. The path forward will demand even more To rise to this challenge, CMOs should integrate the following actions and toolsinto their toolkit as they build their 2026 strategies: