驱动增长的品牌趋势洞察与投资决策

The 2026Brand Playbook A Leader's Guide to the Brand Strategy Trendsand Investments That Drive Growth Contents Section 3External Partners Play a Central Role12 Introduction03 About the Research04 Section 414AI in Brand Strategy Executive Summary05 A Look Forward15 Section 1Evolution Over Revolution07 Work with Fratzke16 Section 2Leadership Sets the Tone09 Get in Touch17 Introduction The 2026 Brand Playbook The opportunity ahead is clear. Strong leadership,sharper clarity, and smarter use of resources will be thefactors that turn confidence into long-term brandstrength. Organizations that focus on evolving theirbrand with purpose, aligning teams, and applyingemerging technology with care will be the ones thatmove from “good enough” to truly great. Brand is the foundation that builds trust and humanconnection. And as we look ahead to 2026, it’s clear:brand matters. Customers want to believe in what theybuy, employees want to stand behind what they do, andorganizations win when they lead with purpose. We surveyed more than 100 business leaders touncover the brand strategy initiatives and investmentsthat are driving success today. The results reveal bothconfidence and complexity: while many leaders expressstrong satisfaction with their brand efforts, few feel theirstrategies are clear or actionable enough to driveconsistent behavior across the organization. Lisa FratzkePartner & Executive Strategist About the Research Fratzke’s 2026 Brand Playbook reflects insights from brandleaders across a wide range of industries, locations, and companytypes. The group includes a mix of mid-sized and enterprisebusinesses across B2B, B2C, and hybrid organizations. Moreabout the respondents: 100+ brand leaders surveyed using a third-party panelprovider Most work at companies with 51 to 1,000 employees (79%)and annual revenues between $6M and $500M (72%) Fairly split serving B2B (26%), B2C (23%), and both markets(50%) 61% "marketing executives" (director level and above), 39%marketing management (senior manager and manager level) Executive Summary Evolution over Revolution Organizations are prioritizing brand strategy, brand research, and brand storytelling as themost effective ways to strengthen their brands. Large-scale brand overhauls, by contrast, arerated least effective, reflecting a climate where sweeping rebrands often backfire. Satisfaction Is Rising, butClarity and Execution Still Lag The 2026 Brand Playbook shows growingconfidence in brand performance yet onlyhalf of organizations feel “very” satisfied.Many teams have defined strategies butlack the clarity needed to guide consistentaction. Confidence is climbing, but the gapbetween “somewhat satisfied” and “verysatisfied” remains wide. Closing it willrequire deeper alignment, clearerleadership direction, and strongerexecution discipline. Leadership and Clarity Sustain Brand Confidence Strong brand performance stems from strong leadership and clear communication. The datashows that brand satisfaction and execution are driven not just by having a strategy, but by howit is set and shared. External Partners Play an Essential Role Nearly 7 in 10 respondents said they rely on external partners for expertise, perspective, andhigher-quality creative and strategy. More than half prefer boutique, mid-size, or specializedfirms over large full-service agencies, underscoring a desire for agility and tailored support. AI is Widespread But Also Needs Guardrails 81% of organizations now use AI in brand work with a focus on content, visuals, and workflowautomation, delivering benefits like speed, efficiency, and cost savings. A bigger opportunity liesahead: applying AI to brand governance, consistency, and tone of voice. Effectiveness Varies Across Brand Functions When asked to choose which three brand functions are most effective at reaching its goals, leadershighlighted those tied to foundational brand components and a steady evolution rather thanreinvention. The data shows a clear preference for investing in the fundamentals that driveauthenticity and alignment, while signaling caution around sweeping rebrands. 1 Evolution Over Revolution:What Brand EffectivenessPatterns Reveal Budgets are rising across nearlyevery brand function, but not allefforts deliver the same results.Brand Storytelling, BrandResearch, and Brand Strategy arerated among the most effectivedrivers of brand strength, whilelarge-scale Brand Overhauls lag farbehind. Evolution Over Revolution:What Brand Effectiveness Patterns Reveal1 Why this Matters: 5 tips when weighing how to evolve a brand: Evolution Wins Over Reinvention Protect Existing Equity Rating brand refreshes and overhauls as least effectivereflects a climate where sweeping changes often backfire. If your brand has positive recognition or loyalty, build on it, don’t erase it. Know When Reinvention Makes SenseFor weaker, unknown or outdated brands, bigger changes may be warranted,but always proceed cautiou