The advertising landscape is undergoing a significant shift, with marketers increasingly turning to AI media and digital channels. According to a recent survey by Mediaocean, 54% of marketers plan to increase their investment in AI media, surpassing search advertising for the first time. This growth reflects the growing interest in advertising on conversational AI platforms, despite the fact that most of these platforms have not yet formally launched advertising products.
## Digital Video Formats Dominate Marketer Investment Plans
Digital video formats, particularly connected TV and social platforms, are dominating marketer investment plans for the first half of 2026. 63% of respondents plan to increase spending in connected TV, while social platforms follow closely at 61%. This continued momentum toward digital channels is a multi-year pattern tracked in previous Mediaocean surveys.
## Budget Growth Spreads Across Digital Channels
Budget growth is not limited to connected TV and social platforms. Influencer and creator marketing claimed 53% of marketers planning increased investment, placing it ahead of search advertising. Retail media showed more modest growth expectations, with 40% planning to increase spend. However, the majority intend to maintain existing levels rather than decrease investment, reflecting retail media’s durability in bottom-funnel performance and commerce-driven campaigns.
## Orchestration Emerges as Critical Capability
The survey introduced cross-platform orchestration as a tracked capability for the first time, revealing it as a top priority alongside AI adoption. Both AI and cross-platform orchestration captured 39% of respondents identifying them as most critical advertising capabilities given current macroeconomic conditions. This represents a significant shift in how marketers conceptualize their technology requirements.
Generative AI continues to dominate consumer trends, capturing 70% of respondents as the most important trend they are monitoring. The technology’s expanding role in everyday consumer behavior from search and discovery to content creation and problem-solving is a key driver of this attention.
As marketers adapt to changing consumer habits and technological advancements, they must also navigate the complexities of data quality issues, signal loss, and tightening regulation. The emergence of sustainability and carbon impact of media and technology as a newly tracked trend reflects growing expectations for transparency, responsibility, and environmentally conscious digital advertising.
The data highlights a marketplace where short-form video, discovery algorithms, and streaming ecosystems increasingly shape culture and consumption patterns. Industry experts have noted persistent challenges in adapting creative assets across these platforms, with 72% of marketers reusing or slightly modifying assets rather than developing tailored creative for different environments.
The report also underscores the importance of first-party data mastery, creative testing, and automation in the current advertising landscape. As marketers navigate these trends and challenges, they must prioritize a unified system that connects insights, workflows, and activation across multiple environments.
The Mediaocean survey provides valuable insights into the current state of the advertising landscape and the trends that are shaping it. As marketers and industry professionals, it is essential to stay informed and adapt to these changes to remain competitive in the ever-evolving digital advertising market.
The survey’s findings highlight the need for marketers to prioritize AI adoption, cross-platform orchestration, and automation to stay ahead in the industry. By doing so, they can effectively navigate the complexities of consumer trends, data quality issues, and technological advancements to drive business growth and success.
In conclusion, the Mediaocean survey offers a comprehensive look at the current state of the advertising landscape and the trends that are shaping it. As marketers and industry professionals, it is essential to stay informed and adapt to these changes to remain competitive in the ever-evolving digital advertising market.
As we move forward, it is crucial to prioritize a unified system that connects insights, workflows, and activation across multiple environments. This requires a deep understanding of consumer trends, data quality issues, and technological advancements.
By doing so, marketers can effectively navigate the complexities of the advertising landscape and drive business growth and success. The Mediaocean survey provides a valuable roadmap for marketers to navigate these trends and challenges, ensuring they remain competitive in the ever-evolving digital advertising market.
The report highlights the importance of staying informed and adapting to changes in the advertising landscape. As marketers and industry professionals, it is essential to prioritize a unified system that connects insights, workflows, and activation across multiple environments.
This requires a deep understanding of consumer trends, data quality issues, and technological advancements. By doing so, marketers can effectively navigate the complexities of the advertising landscape and drive business growth and success.
The Mediaocean survey offers a comprehensive look at the current state of the advertising landscape and the trends that are shaping it. As marketers and industry professionals, it is essential to stay informed and adapt to these changes to remain competitive in the ever-evolving digital advertising market.
