2026 Brand Marketing Trends
I like to think of the overarching cultural trend in Western consumer markets as “The Great Rewarm”. As Generative AI tools (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini etc.) burst onto the scene a few years ago, their branding influenced a lot of consumer brands as well. Except for Claude (Anthropic), their branding styles were cold, machine-like. They took up a huge portion of media coverage, which in turn, I think, influenced changes in other brands.
A number of non-tech brands tried to copy this coldness, flatness of tech company brands. Perhaps the best example of this was Cracker Barrel who went all in on minimalism. The backlash was resounding. They swiftly reverted to the original logo. No management team can out-survive the brand. A little market research could’ve helped them avoid this cultural landmine.
Consumers Are Seeking Comfort in 2026
In our netnographic research for a number of brands in the latter part of 2025, we noted a shift in the overarching trend for consumers going into 2026. Nostalgia, or more broadly, comfort through nostalgia. Let’s explore what this means for consumer marketing trends in 2026.
Consumers are feeling overwhelmed by technology, the stories tech companies are telling and the identities they promote, which are seen as soulless, uncaring and aggressive. Consumers are tired of this. After a decade of optimising for frictionless, algorithmic, disembodied digital experience, culture is seeking weight, warmth, and witness. I call it “The Great Rewarm”.
1. Comfort is the new luxury: This is where nostalgia comes in. It is not a yearning for a time gone past. That’s a misread. Nostalgia is *emotional certainty in uncertain times*. When the present feels chaotic and the future illegible, people reach for things that carry known meaning. Comfort isn't a mood board. It's a meaning system. The question isn't "how do we look cosy?" It's "what emotional certainty do we offer?"
2. Presence beats platforms: Our research has shown a shift in how consumers are using social media and that is to organise and coordinate real-life experiences. Concerts, parties, group outdoor activities. There’s a rise in supper clubs, nature experiences. And consumers aren’t sharing these experiences on social media as much and where they do share is in private messaging groups. For brands, stop thinking about reach. Start thinking about presence. The most valuable thing you can offer isn't content. It's the experience of being gathered.
3. Synthetic triggers suspicion: We’ve all heard the term “AI Slop” and consumers increasingly mistrust brands that rely too much on AI generated content. Our research showed that trust in a brand that uses AI too much drops by around 37.4%. Consumers say they feel like “no one is there”. They feel brands are lazy and don’t care about them. For brands, consumers want you to be “there”.
4. Connection over content: Marketers have felt the need to create and distribute ever more content. But sometimes, less is more. Consumers don’t want more, they want to matter, to feel as if they matter, not your content. People want to feel seen. Recognised. Valued as particular, not as a segment. The winning question for 2026 isn't "what do we say?" It's more about "who do we make feel known?"
Into 2026, brands need to focus more on warmth, connection, nostalgia. Think the 1950s. A time when we felt in control of technology. At a time when AI is making people feel they’re losing control, brands need to help consumer feel a sense of control. It’s not a technology backlash by an stretch. It’s a cultural immune response. The cure is warmth, comofrt, control and belonging.
