Episode 64
Bold 2026 Marketing Predictions: Why 2026 Won't Be What Marketers Expect
Todd and Kelly kick off 2026 with bold predictions about the state of AI in marketing and advertising. They discuss why many brands will discover they're nowhere near ready to utilize AI effectively, predicting that the year will expose the gap between AI hype and reality.
Chapters
- 00:00:00 — Introduction and New Year Greetings
- 00:01:00 — 2026 Predictions: Is This the Year of AI?
- 00:03:00 — Prediction #1: Brands Aren't Ready for AI Implementation
- 00:08:00 — The Hidden Cost: 1,000+ Hours of AI Learning
- 00:11:00 — Prediction #2: AI Will Make Marketing Worse Before Better
- 00:18:00 — The Opportunity Cost of "Good Enough" Marketing
- 00:20:00 — Wasted Ad Spend: AI Media Buying Gone Wrong
- 00:22:00 — Prediction #3: Creative Fatigue Replaces Audience Fatigue
- 00:28:00 — Great Marketing Requires Problem Solving, Not Just Platforms
- 00:33:00 — Looking Ahead: 2027 Will Be Different
Show notes
Todd and Kelly kick off 2026 with bold predictions about the state of AI in marketing and advertising. They discuss why many brands will discover they're nowhere near ready to utilize AI effectively, predicting that the year will expose the gap between AI hype and reality.
The duo explore how AI-driven media buying could lead to wasted budgets and poor targeting, why creative fatigue will replace audience fatigue as a major challenge, and how generative AI creative is already facing backlash.
They emphasize that great marketing in 2026 will require more problem-solving and strategic thinking than ever before, as AI tools alone won't deliver the transformational results many expect.
Kelly shares insights from spending over 1,000 hours working with AI systems, revealing the extensive foundational work required for successful implementation. This episode is essential listening for marketing executives, agency professionals, and anyone navigating the AI revolution in advertising.
Chapters:
- (00:00:00) - Introduction and New Year Greetings
- (00:01:00) - 2026 Predictions: Is This the Year of AI?
- (00:03:00) - Prediction #1: Brands Aren't Ready for AI Implementation
- (00:08:00) - The Hidden Cost: 1,000+ Hours of AI Learning
- (00:11:00) - Prediction #2: AI Will Make Marketing Worse Before Better
- (00:18:00) - The Opportunity Cost of "Good Enough" Marketing
- (00:20:00) - Wasted Ad Spend: AI Media Buying Gone Wrong
- (00:22:00) - Prediction #3: Creative Fatigue Replaces Audience Fatigue
- (00:28:00) - Great Marketing Requires Problem Solving, Not Just Platforms
- (00:33:00) - Looking Ahead: 2027 Will Be Different
Links and Resources:
- Kelly Maguire on LinkedIn
- Todd Juneau on LinkedIn
- Vuja Dé Digital
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About Contrary to Popular Opinion
Contrary to Popular Opinion is the show where marketing's conventional wisdom gets cross-examined. Hosts Todd Juneau and Kelly McGuire take the advice every marketer repeats — and test whether it actually builds brands or just follows the crowd — drawing on decades inside the advertising business to give leaders permission to do the thing nobody else is doing.