Only 49% of Leaders Can Explain Marketing ROI

New research finds that only half of marketing and finance leaders measure how marketing is driving business outcomes, and 71% believe AI-powered marketing tools prioritise short-term performance over long-term brand growth.

As Ramadan 2026 unfolds amid uncertainty, brands are discovering that loyalty is no longer driven by messaging. Instead, consistent actions, reliability, and meaningful customer experiences are shaping deeper emotional connections.

AI has erased the gap between zero and “good enough,” but in doing so, it is pushing brands towards sameness. As synthetic creativity floods the market, marketers must prioritise messy, emotional, human storytelling to stand out and rebuild real connections.

ZeMing Chan explains how multi-layered user insights, creative experimentation, and iterative validation improve product hit rates and drive meaningful customer engagement.

As AI reshapes search behaviour, Patrick Briggs and Simon Lesser explore whether SEO is evolving or being redefined entirely, highlighting the rise of Generative Engine Optimisation, shifting user journeys, and the growing challenge of measuring success in an answer-first ecosystem.

Thiago Hapner talks about blending data with creativity, building products through continuous experimentation, and shifting from conversion-driven design to emotionally engaging user experiences.

A new report finds AI agents could influence more than half of eCommerce transactions by 2027, as enterprises accelerate investment in agentic commerce and autonomous shopping technologies.

As AI tools become central to content production, marketers face a new challenge: scaling output without losing brand voice. Here’s how teams can move beyond basic generation to build AI-powered systems that protect differentiation, optimise performance, and deliver truly personalised messaging.

The algorithm can automatically discriminate against a potential customer due to outdated historical datasets. Post-campaign analysis can help identify biased decision-making and will enable revenue uplift, says Toju Duke, Founder & CEO, Diverse AI.

Leaders from airport hospitality and digital health discussed how hyper-localisation and geo-targeting help brands enter new markets with deeper cultural relevance, personalised engagement, and responsible data use that builds long-term user trust.