Marketers are finally starting to think like consumers

Despite being consumers away from work, marketers are often accused of being out of touch with the realities of modern living, but it seems the emergence of a new cohort of “perceptive CMOs” – whose views most closely align with the buying public – is driving a quiet revolution.

That is one of the key findings of Dentsu’s CMO Navigator – Media Edition 2026, the latest instalment of its global CMO research series exploring how marketing leaders are transforming their organisations in response to rapid shifts in technology, consumer behaviour, and media.

Dentsu claims that a 17% of global CMOs fall into the new cohort of “perceptive CMOs” and outperform peers on revenue, innovation, and transformation readiness. They embrace AI more fully, invest earlier in new media ecosystems, and are more likely to work for organisations with double‑digit growth.

Despite consumer pessimism, the majority of CMOs report strong business results, with 90% seeing revenue growth over the past 12 months. This momentum is fuelling increased marketing budgets, particularly in North America and LATAM.

CMOs say “redesigning marketing in the age of AI” has become a core responsibility, on par with customer satisfaction and customer‑base growth. Nine in ten report emerging AI capabilities are already reshaping their strategies – from efficiency gains to the development of net‑new offerings.

And, with global advertising spend forecast to surpass $1 trillion in 2026, CMOs overwhelmingly agree that media is now critical to business performance.

The media landscape is evolving at unprecedented speed. As media becomes increasingly algorithmic and shoppable, leaders are turning to attention‑based planning, AI‑augmented search, and creator‑driven ecosystems to connect with consumers.

However, CMOs also report that their biggest concern surrounds a lack of transparency and visibility from closed technology platforms.

Meanwhile, entertainment partnerships are accelerating. More than nine out of ten (91%) CMOs are increasing investment in sports, gaming, and entertainment intellectual property to reach audiences where cultural influence happens.

Mexico (44%), the UK (40%) and India (40%) are the countries leading the way on “significantly increasing investment”.

More specifically, more than 85% of all CMOs are increasing investment in anime IP, and gaming partnerships are now mainstream across most regions, with less than 1 in 10 not pursuing any gaming-related strategies at all.

Dentsu media global practice president Will Swayne said: “CMOs are operating in the most dynamic marketing environment we’ve ever seen, and this year’s report shows a profession leaning into change rather than resisting it.

“Whether it’s AI, new forms of entertainment, or emerging media behaviours, the most successful CMOs are those who translate complexity into meaningful, culturally connected brand experiences. Media has officially moved from being a channel to being a true engine of growth.”

Marketers are finally starting to think like consumers

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